The Memoirs of a Queen: Blood and Roses
by Dark-Godess21
Summary: Queen of the Dead, Victoria Williams reflects back on all the situations that led to her inauguration: Victoria is taken captive, but is saved by a strange boy. Against her wishes, she falls in love with him and his family. However, Victoria is not the only Hybrid who wants his heart. She has unwillingly opened Pandora's box. (First Book in The Memoirs of a Queen).
1. The William's

**Williams' Court 2025**

I have had everything bad happen to me that could possible happen. I know about everything there is to know. There is not one person who knows more then I. My allies and abilities are more so then anyone else. My power is not to be questioned, and so it isn't.

Everyone loves me, and with good reason. If someone doesn't love me then they will be put to death. That is not my choice, though. I would never harm another creature without a good reason. I have killed so many in my line of work, but they were all with very good reason. So there you go.

I was certainly not brought up to be in a life such as this. If someone would have told me that one day I would have this kind of power, I would have laughed. My mind buzzed with power, the kind of power only I possessed. Other creatures resent me for it, but they didn't understand how much I went through for this. (Before they were put to death). They had no idea what I had lost, and all those I killed along the way. I could have them all killed with one gesture of my hand, and so they were.

I sat on my thrown, one leg crossed over the other. People in elegant dresses danced around me. My dress outshined all of theirs, but I did not care. My mind was elsewhere...on all the things that had led me here. There were so many disasters and death that led to my absolute power. I thought through all the events, without them none of this would have been possible.

"Your majesty is there something wrong?" One of my house maids asked.

I glanced at her, but then turned away. I didn't feel like answering her today. She asked me the same question everyday. Instead, I instructed her to sit before me. She sat down on the tile floor, trying not to look worried.

"Have you ever heard the story of how I came to be?" I asked quietly.

"No your majesty," she said quickly, "no one knows that story."

"Well you're in luck. I am exceptionally bored today. Be quiet and I will tell you everything."

She leaned towards me, eager.

"I stared out as a human, with nothing ahead of me. I was alone, and was sure to remain that way. I had a family who didn't care for me, and only one friend. That was until the day I saw the strange boy," I smiled at the memory. "That's what started it all...and how I became Queen of the Dead...

**_Prelude_**

She was gone. My mind couldn't wrap itself around that concept. She could be dead now, and I never even noticed her absence. I was the worst friend in the world.

We had so many enemies, so many people who could have taken her. There wasn't even one clue. I suspected the person I had stolen from, but my family had different theories. No one seemed to believe me. I was too young to be taken seriously. I could not search their home, as I wanted. Those who entered have never been seen again.

The wind blew through my hair, and the trees. I sat down on a stump, which was next to a lake. They were all searching, but came up empty handed. The kidnapper left no clues behind. There wasn't even a scent.

I had lost her forever...

_Chapter 1. _

_The Williams_

**_Year 2015_**

Gray waves bounced off the rocks ahead of me. I tilted my head up to the sky with my eyes closed. The wind blew through my hair wildly. A storm was closing in. When I opened my eyes, dark clouds formed above my head. I knew it was time to go.

I slid my feet into the sand and then flexed my toes. I didn't want to leave. This was my safe place, my refuge. I never felt the weight of the world here and I had a lot of weight lately.

Thunder echoed across the waves, after lightning lit the sky. I sighed. This was the only place where I could relax. I didn't want to leave now. I could not relax at home. My family was not your average family, but there was nothing I could do about that. My mother and father favored my sister. She could do no wrong in their eyes.

As a result, I got in trouble for all of her mistakes. Well...they were not really mistakes when you mean to do it. I am grounded right now for throwing all of her things out the window, which I obviously had no part in. However, there was still nothing I could do about it.

A raindrop landed on the lower part of my leg. I watched as it ran down to my ankle. Another crack of lightning shimmered across the clouds. Very slowly, I rose to my feet and stretched. Then I toed on my flip flops. My black car stood only a few yards away, still it wasn't close enough. I sighed and then began the seemingly long journey.

I stumbled over nothing a few times. I was almost to my car when a small sound came from behind me. It sounded like the faint sound of a twig snapping. I turned towards the sound nervously. I thought I was the only one here.

No one was there.

When I looked back at my car, I jumped. A man was standing before me. He looked like he was ready to attack me. However, he made no effort to come after me. I looked behind me again and then back to him.

He was gone.

"That was weird," I mumbled while pulling out my keys.

The car took forever to get there and not because I didn't want to leave. I was looking for the strange man, although; I could have just imagined him. I dangled my keys by the door and then put them in the lock. I turned the key and then opened the door. Something hard rammed into my left side.

I flew sideways with the wind knocked out of me. I wasn't sure, but I swear I coughed up blood. I also made a strange gargle sound when I started to fall. I closed my eyes and waited for the concrete, yet the ground never came.

A door slammed loudly. I awoke with the musty scent of blood in the air. It was a strong scent, which was never a good sign. I blinked, seeing nothing. It was dark, either that or I was blind. There was cloth on my face, so I doubted that I'd lost my sight.

Muffled voices came from behind me. I strained to say something, but it too came out muffled. That was when I realized I was gagged. Did the strange man kidnap me?

I heard a door creak open. Instinctively, I flinched to the approaching footsteps and curled into a ball. I felt a hot hand brush against mine and I shuddered, waiting for the pain to start. I was pulled up to my feet instead, which caused me to stagger backwards. I was pushed forward as a door slammed against a wall. Whoever had me must have kicked it open.

The scent of blood was much stronger now. I think it was coming from me.

_Of course_, I thought to myself.

I could feel fear starting to bubble up into my stomach. I was very sure that I would soon be sick. Any second now I would be embarrassing myself. I could only hope that one of them would slip in it.

"In here," a far away voice called.

My hands started to shake behind my back. My feet wobbled beneath me like they were made of rubber. My skin grew hot as if I was being boiled alive. I hoped my death would be over quick. I stumbled into an unexpected chair; it felt like a chair, anyway.

I was going to have bruises from it.

I wanted to reach down and rub the sore spots on my knees, but I forgot my hands were bound. No one made any effort to help me. I waited for someone to say something. After a few minutes someone roughly cleared their throat. Then the same person did it again and a third time.

"Sit down." A different voice behind me commanded. This one sounded raspier, but it was calm.

I somehow managed to sit down and get situated on the seat properly. I heard papers shuffle in front of me and then my body started to shake. Someone touched my shoulders and I jumped. Then a cloth slid past my face and the bright light blinded me. My eyes took awhile to adjust, but I was finally able to look around.

There was a small desk in front of me. It almost looked like it belonged to a child. It was much too small for the large man who sat at it. He looked to be middle aged or maybe even older. He had a beard, but was completely bald. I didn't like the way he looked.

I was in a small grey room. It reminded me of the small interrogation rooms at the police station. Maybe that's where I was, but the police didn't kidnap people. At least I didn't think they did. The papers were smacked onto the table in front of me. I jumped and looked at them before I looked back to the bald man.

There was another man in the corner. The bald man motioned for him to go to me. This man wore a dark suit and sunglasses. He looked to be about thirty and had cropped brown hair. When the suited man stepped toward me I saw his small knife. My heart felt like it was going to explode inside of me. He turned towards my back and cut my hands free.

I sighed in relief.

He reached across my face and pulled the tape off in one quick movement. I gasped and clutched my mouth in pain. The man then took his place in the corner again. The big man shuffled through the papers he laid out, very slowly. His eyes were on me the whole time.

"What are...?" I started to say.

The big bearded man held up one finger to silence me. Then he cleared his throat one more time.

There were no windows to jump out of. There was no escape for me. Why was I here? What did I do?

The man looked away from me to look down at his papers. Then he looked back up at me. "Miss Harper, Is that correct?" He was the one with the raspy voice.

I managed a tiny nod.

"I am Agent Simpson. That is Agent Dublin," he gestured to the man in the corner. "We are investigating supernatural phenomenon."

I just nodded again, until I realized what he said. "What?"

"I will ask the questions around here!" He snapped. "Now, do you know why you are here?"

I shook my head. None of this made any sense to me. There is no such thing as supernatural things. Why the hell do they want me? I was hoping he would tell me, but he paused for a moment. I put my head on my hands. It looked like I wouldn't be finding out after all.

"We know what you are. Don't bother denying it. Tell us where the others are," Simpson demanded.

I froze in shock. "What?" I whispered.

He glared at me and then looked at Agent Dublin. Dublin didn't look happy either. His eyebrows furrowed. They were in dire need of a good plucking. I shook my head and tried to focus on the situation.

"You are Victoria Harper right?" He asked slowly.

I was still in shock. It took me awhile to process what he said. Simpson continued to look at his papers while I thought. My self-preservation finally kicked in, and I answered.

"No," I sighed in relief. "She's my sister," I continued, "I am Katharine Harper."

Simpson blinked and exchanged glances with Dublin again. He got up from the table, the chair made a terrible screeching sound. I watched as they both left the room. I felt bad for using my sister's name, but what else was I supposed to do?

Katharine wasn't even in the country. She was in Sweden with mother. They know what I am? What the hell is that supposed to mean? My mind scrambled with all these questions and no answers. But only one of them was the most important.

Was my life still in danger?

My heart started going frantic again. I leaned against my legs to try to slow my breathing down. I rubbed my wrists where the rope made them raw. That was when I saw a drop of red liquid on my arm. I put my hand to my head and when I pulled away; my fingers were covered in blood.

"Well that explains the smell," I sighed. I could already feel the lightheadedness. I didn't have much time before I passed out.

The shadows behind the door had disappeared. The agents had left me in here, but who knows for how long. Maybe I could make a run for it. Slowly I got up from my chair, careful not to make any noise. Then I tip toed to the door. Something or someone told me to be very cautious, but there was no one there.

That was weird.

I looked at the ceiling behind me, and then each of the walls. There were no cameras in here. ...Or there didn't appear to be any. I turned the knob slowly, but the door swung open by itself. I jumped back, startled.

The hallway was empty.

No one else was in the room with me either. I guess the door is just really lose. That's what I kept telling myself. In the back of my head I didn't believe it, though.

I closed the door behind me as I made my way down the hall. I stopped short on a corner, and barely missed a woman pushing a cart full of monitors. She didn't appear to have noticed me. How did I not run into her? I wasn't planning on stopping at all. I didn't slow down to think more about it. I ran down the next hallway, while looking up at the walls.

"You'd really think a place like this would have at least a few cameras," I said aloud.

Someone laughed behind me, and I spun around. Yet again, there was no one there. I continued down the hall, but I was much more paranoid then before. I stopped to peak around the corner. They were there, of course. I groaned. They were in the middle of the next hall talking to someone in a lab coat.

"The closet!" someone said, or maybe I was just crazy.

I ran inside it, and shut the door just as they came down the hall. I watched through one of the slits as they slowly passed by. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but I heard my sister's name. I waited till they turned the next corner and then I dashed out of the closet. My flips flops made loud smacks on the linoleum. I hoped no one would hear the sound as I approached the end of the hall. There was a large door with a bright red sign printed, _exit. _

It can't be this easy, I thought.

That didn't stop me from running to it. I pushed open the door and ran into the fresh air. It was raining quite a bit and I was soaking instantly. I continued running into the parking lot, but I stopped to take a quick glance behind me.

No one was onto me _yet_.

All the cars in the parking lot were black and the same model. I decided to jump into the closest one, but I wasn't exactly sure that it was my decision. The keys were already in the ignition and I didn't stop to think of the implications of that.

I started at once and I sped out of the lot, almost hydroplaning at every turn. My heart was racing and I was almost in tears. I've never been so scared in my life. I kept looking back to see if I was being followed, but the rain was too thick to see anything.

Hopefully that meant they couldn't see me either. I relaxed a little when I got to the Crystal Falls city limits. I couldn't believe that I was so far away. I must have been knocked out for hours.

It's too dangerous to go back home. I thought. Where to go...I pondered. Maybe I should go to Raya's place? She was my oldest friend...well she was my only friend.

It was only a fifteen minute drive to Raya's, but I would only be driving halfway. The car might lead them to me, so I had to get rid of it somehow. I guess I could leave it in a dark alley somewhere.

How did I know to do this?

Eight minutes later, I found the perfect one. It was dark so the black car would be practically invisible there. I parked and hoofed it from there. I had no idea how far I had been walking. Maybe an hour or so, but I was starting to get dizzy again.

I sat down and put my head on my knees. Then I breathed slowly in and out. When my heart slowed, I ripped off part of my shirt and tied it around my head. Hopefully that would stop the bleeding process.

Raya's house was now a block away. I could see it across the street. What? That couldn't be right. I was at least another hour from Raya's.

I didn't remember walking the last few miles. Maybe it was my head wound. Yeah, that had to be it. I jogged slowly down the street. The lights were on and that made me smile. Someone was home thank God. I ran up the stairs and tapped on the door five times, impatiently I did it again.

"Okay I'm coming, God!" she yelled. The door swung open and her brown eyes glared down at me. "What the hell happened to you?"

"It's a long story," I whispered, "Can I stay with you?" I tried to use my puppy dog eyes on her, although; that has never worked before.

She nodded, her short, spiky hair bounced. Then she glared behind me for a couple seconds. I'm not sure why no one was there. I walked into the warm house and breathed a sigh of relief. Raya waited a little while after I was in to shut the door, which was also strange.

I was lying down on the couch with my head on Raya's lap. She had a bowl of warm water, and washed the wound of my head gently. I told her everything that happened to me. I just left out some of the more ridiculous things. She shook her head in disbelief.

Raya's brown eyes hazed over like there was something wrong with her. They didn't look the same against her dark skin. I sat up to look at her more clearly. When she noticed my odd stare, she distracted me.

"What are you going to do?" she whispered. Her voice sounded more rough then usual.

I watched her wring the blood soaked washcloth out into the now dirty water. I shrugged. I honestly had no idea. Did they believe me when I told them I was the wrong person? I doubted it. If they were to find my father and ask him he would say Katharine was in Sweden.

My head felt much better after Raya bandaged it. I didn't even need stitches. She told me it was the fastest heal she's ever seen. I was grateful for that.

Raya only had left over pizza to eat, but I didn't care. I felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks. I was starving. And who knows how long I was with those agents. It very well could have been weeks.

"Yes you can stay here awhile," she sighed. Raya tossed jeans and a t-shirt on the couch next to me. "And yes you can borrow my clothes," she smiled a little, but I could tell she was worried. She kept looking next to me like someone was there.

It was very strange.

I was worried too. After we ate the rest of the pizza, Raya kept looking out the window. Her face became grave and she walked outside. I started to follow her, but she told me she'd be right back.

There I sat, on the couch all alone. However, I did not feel alone. It was a strange feeling, but I did not reject it. Hours passed and I found my self yawning. I hadn't watched TV in so long that it felt foreign to me. Before I knew it my eyes were shut and I drifted off. I woke up to Raya picking me up off the couch.

Raya towed me to her bed. It felt a little strange because I haven't slept over at her house in years. I was tucked in like a child, but then she crawled into the bed next to me. I just said a simple thank you and goodnight. I had no idea what time it was, but it had to be late. I was out the second my head hit the pillow, and I didn't wake till the sunlight streaming in the next day found my face. I groaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over my head.

"Raya," I muttered with my voice thick from sleep. It took her awhile to answer me, but I waited very patiently.

"What?" she said roughly.

"I think I need to leave." Something in my head or maybe something else told me so. It was not safe here. The sleep was much needed, but I knew I couldn't stay long in one place. Someone might be after me.

"If you think that's best," she moaned, rolled over, and then put the pillow over her head.

I lifted the pillow off her face. She was already back asleep. I sighed. I was on my own again. Getting out of bed was a challenge. But somehow I was out of the room and stumbling down the stairs.

"Breakfast can wait," I told myself.

Packing was more important right now. What if they found the car already? What if they suddenly broke through the window, and grabbed me? I had an overnight bag filled to bursting when I was done. Raya had woken up, and gave me clothes.

I also packed food, water, and a medical bag. I had Raya change my bandages one more time before I left. We said our goodbyes on the front porch. It was harder then I thought it would be. I knew I might not ever see her again.

After a very long hug, I ran down the street. I needed a new car. Mine was probably still at the beach, unless it was towed. I really shouldn't risk going there, but what else was I supposed to do?

Hours of walking led me to the boardwalk of the beach. It felt almost healing as I stepped onto the sand. My home overlooked the beach. It looked so small from down here. I gazed up at it, longing for it.

That's the first time that's ever happened. I hated being there. But after all that's happened all I wanted was to be in my bed. There was nothing I could do about it now.

My car was still there, amazingly. No one had towed it. It was very lucky, which usually was not the case with me. I needed to get out of here. I took one last look at my house and then opened the car door.

The keys were still in my purse, which was on the seat next to me. My phone was next to me as well. It had a few missed calls on it, however; I had to leave. The car started right up.

Where do I go? I chanted this in my head as I backed out of the lot. The road was wide open with no other drivers. I could just keep driving until I figured out my destination. And that's what I did.

I was, to be honest a bit out of it. Like that hasn't happened before. My head wound may have been more serious then I thought. I was driving on a cloud, so I thought. Many rainbows and shimmering lights were all around me. There was also someone next to me, although; I didn't give him much thought. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

I wondered how long I've been driving. It felt like a year. Maybe I would finally reach somewhere in a few months. The man next to me said something, but I was too focused on the stars to listen. They flew towards me like I was in space.

I wanted to touch them. I rolled the window down and put my hand out. However, the stars kept going through it. I laughed and tried to grab them.

"Slippery little things," I murmured. I laughed a slight hysterical sound. What? That couldn't have come from me.

The guy next to me laughed a short frustrated sound. I paid him no attention. I was going to get a star no matter how long it took. A cold hand touched my shoulder and I jumped. The hand then slid down my arm, his skin felt like velvet.

His hand gripped my arm softly and pulled me closer to him. I was pulled away right when I almost had a star. He turned my head towards his. All around him were streaks of purple and silver. They fell down in ribbons, cradling his face. I stared into his bright green eyes. They glowed with intensity and then everything went dark.

It felt like I had been asleep for a thousand years. I was aware of the street lights shimmering past, as well as the quiet hum of the engine. However, I was only there physically. Someone was driving, but it was not me. Someone was there, though.

I think there was...maybe not.

"Hello," I called out groggily.

"Shhh," a smooth voice answered. "We're almost there, relax."

"Where am I?" I called out hoarsely. I adjusted my eyesight a little more, but everything just looked like a blur. "Who are you?" I looked at the guy next to me in shock and fear.

His green eyes flickered to me for a second and then back to the road.

"Well..." I repeated. I was getting more nervous as the seconds ticked by.

"We're almost to Rosewood," he sighed. He didn't look like he was going to say anything more. His eyes were narrowed and his hands were tight against the steering wheel.

Was he nervous?

"Who are you?" I asked him again, but this time with more authority. _Rosewood_, I realized. That was quite a way from Crystal Falls. I was out for about three hours then. Wow, all I could remember were clouds.

"My name is Xavier." He answered after a few minuets passed. His eyes never left the road. Nor did his body relax from its stiff position.

I blinked. I was now more aware of my situation. How did he get here? I was alone driving...and I couldn't remember anything after that.

"Where did you come from?" I asked in confusion.

"You don't remember?" his eyes widened.

"Remember what?" I leaned towards him. I scanned my mind, trying to picture if I had seen him at all. Then I had it. A tiny flicker of a memory and it was not a good one. "You were the man standing by my car," I accused him. "Then you disappeared and I was hit by something."

"Yes, that did happen," he said slowly. "I was trying to protect you."

"Yeah right." I reached for the handle of my door and broke it off in my attempt to get out.

"I saved your life," he shook his head. "You don't remember that?"

"No."

His mouth opened to say something more, but then he closed it again.

I guess he thought better of it. I had never been so confused in my life. All my words came out at once. "What do you mean you saved me? How come I don't remember you at all?"

"I don't know," he said simply.

I put my head in my hands. This was too overwhelming. I heard Xavier sigh next to me and I sighed too. I know it's weird, but it's contagious.

"How was I in danger?" I whispered into my hands.

"I helped you escape the Bureau of Supernatural Circumstances," Xavier replied.

"The BSC," I almost laughed aloud. "This is beyond ridiculous. You need to think of better lies."

"I am not lying," he almost growled.

My mind drew a blank. No one was there with me. I escaped on my own, I thought.

"No you didn't," Xavier looked at me, guessing my thoughts.

"You were not in the building with me," I argued. I glared at him with a million questions in my eyes and he ignored me.

"Yes I was," Xavier smiled. "Your friend didn't seem to like me too much," he added.

"No, no, no. You were not there, I remember!" My mouth fell open. I was close to losing it. How could he be so absurd? I sat there with my arms folded across my chest. I would no longer argue with someone this delusional.

"I let you out of the interrogation room," he murmured. Xavier paused, saw my pouting face and laughed. "You had taken a wrong turn and almost ran into the agents, so I found a closet and we waited for them to pass." He scowled when I started to shake my head.

I sighed and waited for his nonsense to end. I don't see how he expected me to believe any of this. He was crazy. Xavier waited till he was sure I was paying attention, and then he continued.

"My car was in the parking lot where they left it. We were lucky I remembered where it was parked. All the cars were exactly the same," he chuckled briefly.

How did he know all the details? I must have looked like an idiot to him, sitting there with my mouth open. I started to argue again, but he held up one finger.

"Please, let me continue," he smiled angelically.

"Sorry," I mouthed. I shut my mouth and folded my hands in my lap.

"The rain made it impossible for anyone to follow us, so we had the advantage. You told me you knew someone in town we could stay with, at least for the night. Then I thought it would be best to ditch the car in case they were tracking it." He cleared his throat. "You had a lot of blood coming out of your head, so I had to carry you there," Xavier continued with his explanation.

That would explain why I didn't remember walking. No, don't let yourself fall for his lies. I tried to keep telling myself that. Xavier had a wary look on his face. He knew I wasn't buying it.

"Your friend was very nervous, but she let us stay. It was very gracious of her. She fixed your head wound." His cold fingers brushed against my bandage. "I didn't think your head was that bad, but apparently I was wrong," he muttered, frowning.

I thought about my car trip in the clouds and then there was something about stars. Oh well, I couldn't remember. Was I really going to believe this person, who I knew for ten minutes?

Yes.

"So now you are kidnapping me?" I asked casually.

"No." He looked at me in shock. "I am taking you somewhere safe."

"Where are you planning on taking me?" I wondered aloud, but I was very curious. Not to mention nervous and afraid.

"To the others," he smirked.

"What others?" I said slowly.

"The others like us. They have a safe house. They've been there for two-hundred years and never have been discovered," he replied.

I raised my eyebrows. I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but I couldn't find the right words. "Okay." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

He looked at me strange, but said nothing. When he wasn't paying attention I stole a quick glance at him. His hair was dark, almost black and it was a mess. It went out in all directions. That's all I got to see before his eyes focused on me and I had to look out the window.

"We've reached Rosewood," he announced.

"Do they live here?" I asked. I saw the city sign blur past my window. How did he even read it?

"Yes. It will only be a few minutes more." Xavier looked at his phone. He still looked nervous and uncomfortable.

I was grateful we were almost there. I couldn't stand being in the car much longer. I was a lot more nervous, though. I hated meeting new people.

"It's a huge place on Maple Avenue, and they are very nice," Xavier smiled at me. He obviously sensed my discomfort, however; his kind words didn't help.

My car sped down the empty streets. I never noticed how fast he drove before. He was going over one hundred! I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing. It would be embarrassing if I started to hyperventilate. Before I knew it, the car slowed and I opened my eyes to a huge metal gate. In gold letters that were written on an expensive sign read, _The Williams. _

"We wanted to look inconspicuous," he whispered as he glanced at me.

I rolled my eyes and he laughed. It was a pleasant sound. I think it was real this time. The gate opened and I jumped.

"They just open it for anyone?" I asked in shock, while trying to compose myself.

"They knew it was me," he shook his head.

I waited for him to tell me how, but of course he didn't. I hate how he never explains anything. He drove forward towards and old fashioned brick mansion that was covered in vines. I couldn't take my eyes off it. The driveway was long, black, and shined in the moonlight. Xavier parked next to a bunch of other cars, but it was too dark to tell what they were.

He opened the door for me and helped me out. I narrowed me eyes at him. That happened a lot faster then it normally would. Xavier was out of the car and to my door in seconds. Or perhaps I was going insane?

"How is your head?" he asked after I took his hand.

"It's okay," I lied.

How did I know I wasn't seeing things now? Xavier led me to the front door and then knocked a couple times before entering. In front of me was a long hallway with a white carpet leading all the way down. To my right was a staircase made of cherry wood that had the same carpet going down it. A crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room, which casted beautiful lights all over.

A figure appeared at the top of the stairs. She wore an elegant red dress, which was almost the same color as the staircase. Her dark hair was in curls down to her waist. They bounced when she ran downstairs.

"Xavier." She called with a smile on her perfect face. She ran into his arms and hugged him. "I thought we'd never see you again."

Xavier looked unsettled, like this was not the woman's usual behavior.

I felt awkward standing next to them in their embrace. One of his hands was still clutching mine, which made it worse. I tried to move, but his grip tightened.

"I told you not to worry about me," he told her.

"Who is this?" she let Xavier go and noticed me for the first time. Her eyes were the same shade of green. They glowed into mine and I had to look away.

"This is Victoria Harper," he pulled me forward.

Xavier looked a lot happier then he should have looked. It worried me some. I tried my best to smile and be polite. However, I think it came out sour.

"We escaped together," Xavier continued. "Victoria, this is my sister Amelia Calvert."

Amelia nodded at me. I didn't know what to do so I nodded back. I was more then a little surprised that she was his sister. To answer your question, yes they did look alike. They just didn't seem like they were related. It would have made more sense if they were together.

"I shall go tell the others that you are home and safe," Amelia smiled, but she stopped smiling when she turned to me.

Xavier nodded and she ran up the stairs. I watched with my mouth open wide. She wore seven inch heels. I would have never been able to walk, let alone run up stairs.

"Care to see the rest of the house?" Xavier turned to me.

I smiled and nodded. I couldn't picture the rest of it being more beautiful than this. I went forward and noticed a stone fireplace to my left. Around it was brown leather furniture placed perfectly. I shook my head. It was too perfect. I could tell that it was a façade.

"Why didn't you tell me that you lived here?" I whispered.

He pulled me forward again. We were in another room when he answered. "You already had a lot to take in. I didn't want to make it worse," he shrugged.

The hallway led to a living room, which was enormous. On the back wall was the biggest TV I had ever seen. It was cradled by shelf after shelf of movies. In front of the TV was a couch of about the same size. The colors were the same as everything else. The walls were a creamy tan that went well with the white boarders.

"We spend most of our time in here," he said with a gesture of his hand.

"It's lovely," I said.

Lovely didn't even begin to cover it. He pulled me behind him again. The next room was a dining room. The table took up almost the entire room, and it was set up with red candles to match the dark red drapes. After the kitchen, I couldn't stand to see anymore. It was a chef's dream kitchen and I had enough for one day.

"Alright no more then," he laughed at me, and then told me to follow him.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously, as we entered the first room I had seen.

"Why to meet everyone, of course." He started up the stairs.

I sighed nervously and followed. As soon as we got up stairs, they were there. Amelia was there, along with three others. One was a man, also with the same dark hair, but he had slivers of silver in it. He was well built and looked to be about thirty-five. I had a feeling he was the head of the household. I had to look away from his green eyes.

The woman, who I assumed to be his wife since they were holding each other, looked exactly the same. She had dark hair and glowing green eyes. She was only slightly older then Amelia, but her face was thinner and her hair was shorter. It also looked like it was paper thin, it was strange.

The last was a much shorter girl. She was actually the same height as me. Her hair was light brown, unlike all the other people. It was pulled back into the most perfect ponytail I had ever seen. She did have the same green eyes, but hers looked kinder then the others. They all looked extremely perfect, but this girl was dressed better than they were.

Why did they all look like they were going to a ball? The man wore a tux and the women were all in elegant dresses. I looked down at my shabby shirt and jeans. I felt like a hobo.

"Victoria, these are my parents Victor and Anna." He pushed me towards them a little.

"It's nice to meet you," I smiled. I felt like I should have curtsied with how they were dressed up.

They smiled back politely, but something seemed off about it. The short fashionable girl made an irritated face and coughed a couple times. His parents laughed a small laugh, not a big one. Amelia just looked uncomfortable and bored.

"Oh," Xavier smiled. "I'm sorry. Victoria, this is my little sister Emilie."

"I know we'll be fast friends." Emilie jumped forward to hug me. She smiled at me, clearly not upset anymore. She seemed to like me more then the others.

"My brother in law isn't home yet," Xavier whispered to me.

"Derrick won't be back for a few days," Anna said quietly. She looked tired.

I was expecting her to pass out at any second.

"I'm going to show her where she'll be staying," Xavier muttered. He broke the awkward silence.

Emilie hadn't stopped grinning at me since I came up here.

They nodded and left us. Amelia was ahead of them before Xavier said anything. That couldn't have gone any worse. Xavier seemed to have the same thoughts I did. His happy mood and confident glow was now gone. He looked depressed.

"See you later," Emilie waved at me. Then she ran down the hallway.

At least one of them liked me. I didn't expect them to be his family. I wish he would have said something. He never says anything.

"Hah," Amelia walked in front of us, stopping to look back at me. "Shouldn't be too long now," she commented.

Where did she come from?

I saw Xavier grimace, but I stared at her in confusion, as she walked into one of the many bedrooms. I was about to ask Xavier of her actions, but he took off, dragging me with him. I stumbled forward, almost falling on my face. He reached out and grabbed me before I fell.

"This is your room," he pointed to one of the doors."I'll see you in the morning, goodnight." He walked swiftly down the hall and was gone in seconds.

He was obviously upset with whatever Amelia had said to me. I sighed and opened the door. The room was just as beautiful as the rest of the home. A white fireplace sat on one side of the room and a big canopy bed sat on the other. I collapsed on the bed. It seemed strange that I was so tired since I slept most of the day. I stared at the red lace on the bed and then drifted off.

A loud crash pulled me from my dreams. I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my head. Then the sound of glass shattering startled me awake. Muffled yells came from all directions. It was hard, but I finally worked up enough courage to peek out the door.

Shoes, clothes, and a few things I couldn't name were all over the floor. I continued down the hall and stopped at the stairs. The crystal chandelier no longer dazzled the entryway. It was in a million pieces down below.

What had happened?

I climbed down the stairs, careful not to trip over any clothing. Amelia appeared instantly. She gracefully walked across the glass, staring up at me. Then she smiled a little.

"You should really go to bed," she said coldly. Her smile faded when I didn't go back up right away.

Another crash came from the living room, followed by more yells. Amelia raised her perfect eyebrows and waited for me to say something. I just nodded and backed up the stairs slowly. She stared at me all the way up, until a howl rang through the house. Then I ran up, while dodging the shoes best I could. I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it while breathing hard.

My heart was beating so fast it shook my entire body. I locked the door while my hands were shaking. I couldn't stay here any longer. I needed to be in a place that made sense. There was a closet to my right so I opened it. I felt bad for taking their clothes, but I didn't know where the ones Raya gave me went. The closet was full of elegant stylish clothes, which still had the price tags on them.

"Wow," I said aloud.

I just grabbed a simple sweater in the back. Luckily, there was a plain pair of jeans in one of the drawers. Then there was an entire shelf filled with shoes. I heard a creak in the hall. I held my breath.

The door burst open and the lock flew off it. I whirled, clutching my hand to my heart. Xavier stood there, glaring at me. I was too out of breath to speak.

"It's time," he said coldly.

I stared at him with fear evident in my eyes. He walked towards me, but I backed away till I fell against the dresser. He grabbed for me. I jumped away and leapt towards the window. His cold arm slid around my waist and pulled me against him. I screamed and clawed at Xavier.

"Calm down!" He yelled. "It's not going to hurt much, I promise."

I had to get away.

"I trusted you!" I cussed at him.

What was he going to do to me? I pulled at his arm, but it did no good as he towed me through the door. I grabbed the corners of the walls, and then watched as my fingernails slid across them. Xavier threw me over his shoulder, and continued down the stairs. I screamed and kicked him repeatedly. Amelia was at the bottom of the stairs with a smile on her face.

"What are you doing with me?" I screamed at him.

He ignored me.

"Xavier! Xavier!" I screamed over and over.

He set me down in front of Amelia. His hands held me there so I couldn't run. Tears leaked down my face uncontrollably. I couldn't stop shaking, so I closed my eyes and waited for the end.

"Open your eyes," Amelia commanded. She was still smiling. Killing someone was nothing to her.

"No," I shook my head.

"Open them," she repeated. Her hands felt cold as ice as she slid them on either side of my face.

I closed my eyes tighter. I was too afraid to move.

"Open them Victoria," Xavier urged.

For some unknown reason I did. Amelia's perfect face was just inches from mine. Her glowing green eyes were locked into mine. They seemed to get brighter and brighter.

They were so pretty that I wanted to get closer. As if reading my mind, she moved closer to me. I felt at peace, which was strange. Wasn't I terrified just a few...? No. That couldn't have been me, I thought.

That's crazy. I smiled at how foolish I was. Amelia smiled back at me then she raised her hand and placed it against my neck. I started to feel tingly all over and then a shudder of cold went though me. I shut down and everything went black.


	2. The Transformation

_Chapter 2. _

_The Transformation_

I had never been so cold in my life. My eyes slowly opened. It was not without effort. They felt like they were glued shut.

Frost fell down from my eyelashes. I sat up and then crossed my arms around my chest. The movements made ice crack off my skin. That seemed to happen with every move I made. My breath blew out across the blue ice beneath me while I shivered.

Where am I?

I stood up slowly and snow fell from my hair. I shook it out. More ice cracked off my skin as I moved forward. I had to be careful not to slip.

For some stupid reason I was wearing powder blue heels and a dress of the same color. That was definitely not my color of choice. The ice seemed to be made of blue and purple swirls. I might have found them _pretty_, if I wasn't so damn cold. Many trees surrounded me and all of them were covered in blue ice. Sparkling icicles hung down from their branches.

I made it through the field of ice, but the snow was just as cold. Ahead of me, there was a hill. Maybe I could see where I was or at least find something familiar. Tripping through the snow and rubbing my arms, I made my way to the edge of the hill. The snow was only and inch high and that was lucky. My feet would have been frost bitten. Taking a deep breath, I climbed up the hill and dug my heels in so I wouldn't slide back down.

I clutched myself. I was now shaking and starting to breathe harshly. I had to find someplace warm now. Snow was all around me, except for a few trees. My heart was beating wildly.

I was going to die here.

The fog moved to the east of me, making it colder. Of course, I would never be allowed to have any warmth. Then out of the fog, appeared a blue castle. It seemed to be made out of ice, but I didn't care. Anything was better than freezing.

My lungs felt like they too were covered in ice. I clutched at my chest and carefully walked down the hill. I coughed, barely able to breathe anymore. The movement caused me to misplace my footing and I slid all the way down. I screamed as the snow went up my dress and everywhere I didn't want it to go. If I wasn't cold before I definitely was now.

"Damn these heels!" I cussed.

I wanted to take them off and run to it, however; my feet would freeze. I couldn't give up. The castle was just a few yards away. It could have been more then that, but that's what it looked like. I trudged towards it wobbly.

I was closer now. My heart swelled up with hope that maybe I will live. I could feel the warmth radiate my skin already. That thought had me moving faster.

A howl echoed across the snow and stopped me dead in my tracks. I tripped and landed face first in the middle of a drift. I shook the snow off of me and looked in the direction from which it came. A large white wolf was nearly a foot away from me. I slowly stood up to my feet and backed away a step.

The large wolf turned its head to the side. This one was different from the kind of wolves I was use to. It seemed somehow...smarter. I baked away another small step, but this time it followed. I could feel the fear start to rise in my stomach and I felt like I was going to be sick. The wolf howled loudly and I jumped back away from it. Then from the top of the hill I fell down, three more wolves emerged.

That's was when I took off running. I slipped a few times because of the heels, but I got a good distance away from them. They caught up quick and I was alarmed by the sudden outbreak of howls. It was hard to run in heels and the snow didn't help at all.

I slid gracefully around a tree. I didn't know I was capable of doing anything graceful. One of the wolves took a header into the base of the tree. However, there was still two more after me. One gripped the edge of my dress and I slid across the snow. My dress ripped in half and I ran towards the castle once again.

"Why is this happened to me?" I asked aloud.

More howls erupted from the wolves as they started to close in on me. I was so close to safety that I could taste it. If only they would find something else to chase in this hell hole. Maybe that is where I was. I had died and gone to hell.

As I got closer, I saw a blue and purple bridge made of ice. Icicles hung down from each side of it. I sighed, of course. It wouldn't be this easy. The bridge was long and there was an ever longer way down. I felt sick to my stomach again.

I looked back to see the wolves almost on me. I took a deep breath and set one foot on the ice. I jumped once to make sure it held my weight. It seemed to be fine. I made my way across, but I was completely terrified. I was careful, but fast at the same time.

"Don't look down," I chanted again and again.

When the wolves reached the bridge, they didn't hesitate to slow down. I guess they weren't as smart as I thought they were. One slid past me across the bridge. It even tried to take a bite out of me as it passed. Then over the edge it went with a yelp.

The other wolf slid off the edge right away. I heard it howl all the way down. I carefully peeked over to see where they went, but the pit looked endless. I shivered and backed away from it.

I put one foot in front of the other and tried to stop my shaking. I breathed in and out slowly. I was very slow and careful on the ice because of my stupid heels. I had my arms straight to my sides. I was starting to relax more with every step I took. And almost to the end of the bridge I fell.

I screamed when my heel slid to the right and I started to fall down the bridge. I managed to grip the edge of it and pull myself to my feet. I placed my hand over my heart while I gasped for breath.

"Oh my god," I gasped.

Shaking even more now, I walked slower up the bridge. I exhaled when I reached the end. The ice doors of the castle were directly ahead of me. I ran up to them and pushed. They immediately opened.

The warmth was...there are no words to describe it. I shoved the doors shut behind me. There was a fireplace to my left. I ran to it and held my hands up in front of me. I was getting warmer by the second. I sat there a long time, waiting for my heart to slow and defrost.

"This fireplace looks familiar," I muttered. It just popped into my head that I had seen it somewhere before. I couldn't put my finger on where, though.

The stone was quite pretty. It looked very expensive as well. It was much bigger than me; it could hold four normal fireplaces. I got up, now warm and looked around the room. The only light in the castle was provided by the fire, so I couldn't make out much. I passed a couple couches and walked toward what appeared to be stairs.

I gripped the side of the cherry wood stairs much harder then necessary. I broke a couple of my nails. I was just here. I walked down the hall with the white carpet and wandered into the living room. I stood there, staring in front of me. My eyes went wide and my mouth fell open.

It was me.

Or at least it looked like me. I slowly stepped towards the body. It lay on a strange looking operating table. It was very still and didn't even appear to be breathing. I wanted to touch it, but I was afraid of what would happen to me.

Am I dead?

Wires were spread out all around my body. There were also a variety of machines here and there. I got closer and leaned over it. I stared at the face; it was like looking in a mirror. My long dark hair, red lips, small nose, and oval face. I was paler then I usually was, though.

"What happened to me?" I spoke aloud. A shadow appeared next to me and I spun around. "Xavier!" I exclaimed.

He said nothing nor did he look at me. He was looking at the other me, the one lying on the table cold and still.

"Hello," I whispered.

Xavier sat next to me and held one of my hands. The other me, I mean. Amelia appeared behind him, making me jump. They didn't say anything for a long time.

"She's going to be fine," she murmured. Then she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I know," he said, moving away from her touch.

She sighed and walked out of the room. He glared after her.

They did something to me, but all I could remember were Amelia's eyes getting brighter. I looked away from Xavier and walked after Amelia. She was already on the stairs. I had to run to keep up with her. Quickly she turned a corner and I had to run.

Wow, she was fast.

Amelia turned another corner. I only saw her hair go by and a slamming door. As I turned the corner, I stopped short. Twelve doors stood on each side of the wall. Which one was it? I ran to one and turned the knob...locked.

I turned the knobs one after another. Finally, in the middle of the hall one of them opened. Inside was very dark and cold...almost tomb like. There were all kinds of sharp tools on the wall. Different kinds of knives, saws, and things I didn't even want to think about. I shivered, trying not to look at them.

A noise came from the back of the room. Stupidly, I headed towards it. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help myself. Loud screams came from below me. I jumped back and tripped over a chair. I cussed and threw my heels across the room. Then I kicked the chair into the corner.

My anger made it a little easier for me to enter the room. I stomped past the torture wall without giving it a single glance. In the back of my head I knew why there was a person screaming below me. With this dungeon and the tools of torture, it's quite obvious. I just couldn't convince the rest of myself. I turned the corner in the back of the room sharply.

I just wish I would have noticed the stairs.

I fell downwards and then started to roll. On the way down, I took turns hitting my head and back. I landed on the second to the last step with a loud thud. I didn't expect that someone would hear me, though.

"Oww," I moaned and put my hand to my head. The room was spinning. When I stopped and I looked out ahead of me, she was there. I jumped back from Amelia's bright eyes.

"Who's there?" Amelia called up the stairs. She walked through me and ran up the steps.

It was the weirdest feeling I've ever experienced. I can't even explain it. It almost felt like my soul was pulled out of me and then put back in. I slowly got up, stumbling a bit. I peered around the corner of the stairs and saw a man in a chair.

Amelia walked past me, but I had jumped out of the way. I didn't want to be walked through again. The room was very poorly lit. Another scream came from it front of her. I held my hands over my ears.

The man had been covered in blood and strapped to the chair. It was obvious what was happening. I still couldn't see what she was doing, though. Hands still to my ears, I stepped closer to her. She was...I couldn't look anymore. I couldn't stand torture and I had finally proved to myself that it was true. The William's were monsters.

I ran up the stairs, tripping every few steps. I was holding my hand over my mouth. I fought the urge to get sick and made it out of the tomb. I leaned against the staircase to try to catch my breath. Then I tried to slow my heart.

"I'm not really here," I told myself. They can't do anything to me unless they harm my body." My heart started right back up.

I sat at the fire again. My dress was ripped on both sides now. I sighed. It probably happened when I fell. There was only the quiet hum of the heart monitor as the flames wrestled back and forth. When am I going to wake up? Or am I dead?

I wish I could remember what they did to me. I sighed again. Xavier walked into the room and sat on the couch behind me. His arms were folded across his chest. I watched him, making sure he couldn't see me.

His eyes were on the floor, looking at nothing. Amelia appeared at the bottom of the stairs, I saw her out of the corner of my eye. Her white blouse was stained with blood spatter as well as her face. I watched her walk gracefully over to Xavier. I wish I could look like that.

Xavier shook his head when she approached him. "Is this all really necessary?" he asked.

"You know it is Xavier," she said coldly.

He looked away from her and back to the fire. He looked right through me. I got up and sat next to him on the couch. His eyes narrowed and he looked at the spot next to him. I stared strangely back and realized I made an indent on the cushion.

"That's strange," he muttered.

"What is?" Amelia asked.

"Nothing!" he snapped.

Amelia growled and walked into the living room.

I followed, not trusting her one bit. After all, it was my body she was with. Or it looked like it was anyway. She just stood there hovering over it. Then she abruptly turned and headed into the kitchen. I relaxed and looked down at myself. I lifted up one eyelid and then jumped back.

They were bright green.

I stood there, gasping. My eyes were supposed to be _blue_. Now they looked...like _their_ eyes. I looked in Xavier's direction for a moment. He wasn't watching. I sat on the edge of the table next to myself. Then I lightly touched my arm.

A violent blast shook through me as soon as I touched it. It was colder then anything I've ever experienced. I screamed and tried to let go of the arm. I couldn't. I kept getting colder and colder, like I was outside covered in ice again. This time it was worse, much, much worse.

"H-help," I shivered.

My hands grew white and then it continued up my arms. I watched my fingers stretch out for a second and then go back. My stomach ached with a strong desire, but it was not for food. My teeth grew outward. I could feel them against my tongue. I touched my tongue to them and blood came from it.

What's happening to me?

I screamed again as ice covered my entire body. It felt like ice was in my entire body and caking all my organs. My heart was beating like crazy, however; my chest became frozen. I heard it pound one last time and then it froze. I gasped and got ready to scream again, but no sound came out. Mist filled the room and I fell onto the floor, dead.

I awoke with a gasp and immediately threw my arms around myself. I was expecting the great cold again, but I was fine. I looked around me. I was on a table connected to all kinds of machines. I ripped the oxygen out of my nose and then the IV.

"Ow," I whispered. Then I rubbed the spot where it came out. It was a little odd that no blood came out right away. And when it finally did, it was only one drop. I pulled the wires out one by one. Then I slowly got up. I felt different, not quite my old self.

I felt better then I ever had in my life. It was almost a high feeling. I wanted to laugh and run. I knew that would be a bad idea, though. I stepped off the table, almost falling. I caught myself on the edge of the couch.

Eventually I reached the end of the hall. I was nervous and went slower then I normally would. I leaned against the lounge area doors for support. Everything was brighter and clearer to me. I didn't know why.

Xavier was still on the couch staring into the fire. I wasn't sure how to get by without being noticed. I just put one foot in front of the other, very slowly. I made sure not to take my eyes off him. I was almost to the stairs when he started to get up. I hurried into the closet next to the stairs and closed the door.

He was shaking his head as he passed me. The he ran up the stairs. I sighed in relief. Slowly I opened the door with my eyes locked on the stairs. I stepped out and my eyes snapped to the front door. When I looked back to the stairs, I was staring into a pair of bright green eyes. I screamed and fell backward because the movement caused me to slip on the tile.

Xavier stood before me with a sad expression on his face. "You can't leave now. They will kill you," he said. "You're safer here. Trust me." He smiled and offered me his hand.

I took it unwillingly as I glared at him.

"You're one of us now," he nodded, making sure I understood.

I stared at him, wondering if I could make it to the door before the lunatic stopped me.

"You won't," he whispered, once again knowing exactly what was on my mind.

"What did you do to me?" I demanded.

He sighed and looked away.

I followed his gaze. Amelia was standing by one of the couches. She had fresh clothes on and her face was wiped clean of blood.

"How are you feeling Victoria?" she asked.

"Fine," I answered coldly.

Amelia nodded and walked between us. Then she headed up the stairs.

Xavier stared at me while he spoke. "Later." That was all he said. Then he took my hand and led me up the stairs.

Normally I would be shaking with fear right now, but I wasn't. I felt calm and content. Xavier opened the door to the room I stayed in before. But this time he came in with me and shut the door behind himself. I turned to look at him. He was staring out the window. I looked out too, but there was nothing to be seen.

"What did you mean I am one of you?" I asked, losing my patience.

His green eyes seemed dimmer as they looked into mine. "You were already going to be," he said glumly, "we just made it happen sooner rather than later."

"Going to be what?" I said slowly.

Xavier took a deep breath. "We're Hybrids Victoria. Now you are one too." He watched my face carefully.

I blinked. "What?" I asked in a daze.

He shook his head, his messy hair bounced around. I couldn't stop staring at it. Everything really was so much clearer and amazing.

"We are the only family of hybrids left Victoria," he said with more authority.

"But what was is that?" I asked, annoyed.

"A mix between two species," he murmured, looking out the window again.

"What species?" I asked. He really was a bit out there.

He looked back at me, staring at my face for awhile. "You don't believe me," he stated.

"Sure I do," I lied.

"I know you don't." Xavier closed his eyes and breathed out slow. "I can tell, but you will believe soon enough."

I stared blankly at him. Why wasn't I afraid? He walked past me and out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Whatever," I muttered. For some reason I knew he would hear.

I sat up in bed. Someone was talking about me. I scanned the room with my nose high in the air, sniffing. No one was here. Confusion then filled my mind. How am I able to smell intruders?

I'm insane.

I got up and was opening the door instantly. What? …I looked back at the bed. How did I get over here so fast?

I shook my head. I was seeing things. It's probably an aftershock to whatever they did to me. The voices came from downstairs, so I crept down there. They weren't by the fireplace. I continued on to the living room, and then the kitchen.

Both were empty.

"Huh," I said aloud. I swear I heard people talking down here.

I stood still and listened harder. They were beneath me, I think. Xavier had never told me there was a basement. Did he not want me to know? He was below me as well as someone I didn't recognize. They were still talking, but not about me anymore. Someone was in danger.

There had to be a way down there. I opened every door downstairs. They were all closets and bedrooms, apparently. I growled in frustration and threw a lamp through the kitchen window.

My jaw dropped and I cussed. How did I do that? I stared at my hands. They looked normal, but something was obviously wrong. I moved one step and I was in the lounge.

"What the…?" I uttered loudly.

How am I doing this? The fire was about to go out and the room was still empty. I grabbed the edge of the couch and lifted the whole thing above my head. It wasn't intentional at all. It crashed hard against the tile floor. I hadn't realized I'd let go.

"Oh my god," I said aloud.

Someone grabbed my shoulder. Out of instinct, I grabbed the hand, and flipped the person over my head. Growling sounds filled the room, however; I was suddenly pinned against the couch. Xavier was on top of me with his hand clutched to my throat. Rage consumed my body. I jumped up and threw him against the rock of the fireplace.

Amelia stood behind me, clapping and laughing. "Nice try," she giggled a couple more times.

I glared at her, too angry to speak. Xavier stood before me. I got ready for another attack, but he started to laugh with Amelia instead. My anger was replaced with confusion as I stared strangely at them.

"What are you doing up?" Amelia asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know." My head was swimming with too many unanswered questions.

"You should go back to bed. You'll feel better in the morning," she smiled at me.

I nodded and walked away as fast as I could. I could feel their eyes on me while I walked up the stairs, and then down the hall. I tried to look tired; although, I'm not sure they bought it. I sat on the edge of the bed, unsure of what I should to do.

I couldn't stay here, that much was for sure. I didn't understand what they did to me, why I wasn't afraid, or why I was able to lift a couch. The closet full of clothes, still sat there open. I could see a powder blue dress on the end.

That's strange.

I got a new shirt and pair of jeans out of the closet. Then I put on my old stained jacket. At the same time, I listened to make sure no one was around. I opened the window. It was three stories up. I groaned.

I clutched the edge of the window and lowered myself down. I rested my feet on another ledge above the second story window. I thought about being afraid, but I wasn't. Something inside told me to let go. So I did.

I landed upright on my feet and I was perfectly fine. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I took off running without telling myself to do so. I ran as fast as I could in case they saw or heard something. I slowed down to look back and I stopped in shock.

I was already in the middle of Rosewood.

"Wow," I breathed.

I looked around. It was dark and quiet. A clock on the building read 3:02. Who needs a car, I laughed and ran again. I got a little over excited and jumped. I landed upright on a building.

"Oh." I looked behind me with my eyes wide. Then I smiled.

I jumped again and landing on the next building. I laughed while I ran though the town, knocking over street lights and denting cars. I knew I shouldn't be doing that, but I couldn't quite care. I leapt off the street and onto the side of another building. Then I swung on a crossing light and landed on a car, crushing it flat.

I was out of breath or maybe it was just from excitement. I couldn't tell. Suddenly I remembered why I was running, and I took off down the street. If we were the same then they could do this too. I can't believe he was right.

I was almost to the end of the city when a sharp pain went into my leg. It then spread throughout my entire body. I rolled into a building. Bricks and glass fell around me. I screamed and held my leg. There was a bullet in it and smoke was coming off my skin.

I reached in and took it out. It burned my hand. I threw it away, yelling in pain again. Headlights blinded me, and two figures appeared out of the darkness. I tried to move away, but I was too weak. I stared at them as they came closer. Then I recognized them.

"Agent Simpson and Agent Dublin," I announced. They walked in front of the headlights, fixing my seeing problem.

"You really thought you could get away from us?" Dublin asked.

I got up and fell back down. Then for some odd reason I hissed at them. I have never hissed at anyone if my life. I almost felt a little idiotic and embarrassed.

"Don't bother trying to get up," Simpson smirked. Then he shook a small box. "Silver bullets," he laughed.

I glared at them. I actually felt a little fear. My self preservation started kicking in. "What are you going to do to me?" I asked.

Dublin smiled. "Nothing …yet," he said and reloaded his gun.

He stepped closer and my stomach knotted in hunger. It was a very strong hunger, which I had never noticed before. I growled and started breathing harder. The delicious smell filled my nose, and consumed me.

I had to have it.

My mouth started to water. I reached for him and he kicked me back.

"Don't move," he ordered. Then he shot at me again. It missed, but the intent was clear.

I sat on the concrete, digging my nails into it. _I needed it_! My mouth opened and I crawled towards him again, growling. He shot me in the stomach. I screamed with pain as it coursed through my body.

It did not change my hunger, but it distracted me for a couple seconds. I growled at them and hissed. What a strange thing to do. It was a normal instinct for me. I didn't like it.

Dublin rolled his eyes and cocked the gun. "I've heard enough out of you." He shot me in between the eyes and I was out.

A loud crash made me hit my head hard; though it didn't hurt. It just woke me up. I looked around. I was in a small dark place, and I seemed to be moving. It was musty smelling and had a light hint of gasoline.

Gun shots were fired and tires squealed. I was in the trunk of their car. It turned sharply, and I was thrown against the wall. I would have tried to hang onto something, if my strength wasn't gone. More gun fire rang around me, and another crash made my head hit the top of the trunk. I cussed and curled up in one of the corners.

Something hit the back of the car. Then a loud thump came from the roof as I flew towards the back. There was a lot of cussing, shooting, and what sounded like metal being torn apart. The car turned sharply again, however; this time I rolled to the top of the roof. Then I landed back down. This happened three times before the car came to a stop. I heard glass cracking and landing on the ground.

"Hello," I called, hoping someone was near by.

The car shook again and rolled back over. I rolled with it. When it stopped, I pulled the bullet out of my head. My eyes watered as I did so. Above me, the trunk lid shook and with a crack it opened. Arms reached around my waist to pull me out.

"Xavier," I breathed, barely able to talk.

He didn't look happy to see me at all, but he would get over it. At least I hoped he would. I was so grateful for being saved. Will he believe me when I tell him?

"Are you hurt?" he demanded.

"I don't know," I whispered, staring at his face.

He carried me over to the others. They all glared at me. His eyes were watching me the whole time. He must have expected me to get up and run at any minute.

"We need to go," Victor said, while looking around. He brushed his dark hair back. It was messy, so there must have been a fight.

Anna agreed with him and gestured to the car. "Hurry up kids. Before they get more organized and bring a lot more agents. Or someone else sees us," Anna added warily.

Xavier followed them to it. I looked behind him. Amelia's eyes were locked on me. Next to her was Emilie, who gave me a little half smile.

I turned away from them and buried my face into his chest. He tightened his arms around me. I don't know if it was deliberate or he just didn't want to drop me. Either way I didn't mind it.

The car was as silent as a graveyard. I tried to go to sleep to avoid talking about what happened. I was sitting next to Xavier. My head was against his shoulder and one of his arms was wrapped around me. I could feel Amelia's eyes still on me.

I tried to ignore the feeling, but I had to open my eyes. I peered around Xavier's shoulder and of course, she was staring at me. So was Emilie. Emilie didn't look angry, though. She looked confused.

Amelia finally broke the silence. "What were you thinking? She exclaimed. "We could have been captured."

Anna turned around to give her a warning glance, but she ignored her.

"We have been fighting for many years and you almost ruined it!" She kept going on and on. "All our careful plans… ruined," she ranted.

I shut her out. Yes I was sorry, but I really couldn't think of something appropriate to say. Sorry wasn't good enough. What did they expect though? I wasn't told anything and they attacked me for no reason.

It was only a ten minute drive; although, I'm sure they were going well over the speed limit. When the car parked, Xavier picked me back up and carried me to the house. He was already at the couch in the lounge. This was a trick I now understood. I felt very awkward as they gathered around me. Amelia didn't stick around. She went straight upstairs, and slammed the bedroom door.

Victor leaned against the fireplace and stared at it. He didn't seem to want to be a part of the discussion.

"Let's talk," Anna sat next to me and took my hand. Her short hair was frazzled around her face and she had dark circles around her eyes. "Victoria, please don't leave us again." She raised her eyebrows and nodded, hoping I would understand.

I managed a nod back and she smiled and patted my head. She wasn't this nice when I first met her. Everything was weird about this family.

"I'm going to bed," she told everyone and went upstairs.

Victor looked up from the fire. "Be good," he said once. Then he followed Anna up the stairs and into their bedroom.

Emilie took Anna's place next to me. "They always find you when you're in town at night." She shrugged. "You didn't know, so no one blames you," she paused. "Well except Amelia." She laughed a little.

I did a half smile. I watched the fire instead of looking at her. Xavier squeezed my shoulder and I glanced at him.

Xavier rolled his eyes. "You aren't safe on your own. We have to stick together because they don't want us to exist." He grimaced, but scooted closer to me.

I could feel my strength slowly coming back. My brain was finally working properly as well. "Who doesn't?" I whispered. My lips barely opened. I wonder how they heard me.

"The head clan of vampires," Emilie whispered back.

I wasn't expecting that, even after what I had seen and what I was able to do.

"They think we are an abomination and shouldn't exist." She continued.

"Those agents…were they?" I asked.

"No they just work for them," she finished. "They have most werewolves, agents, and vampires working for them."

"Why...why do they think that?" I stammered. I was getting more confused by the minute.

"Cause we are both," Emilie said.

"We're both?" I was confused.

"We are vampire and werewolf," she replied slowly.

I felt my mouth come open and I quickly snapped it shut. On the outside I was quite calm, however; inside I was barely clinging onto my sanity.

"I didn't want to be," I murmured.

Emilie sighed. "You didn't have a choice."

I stared at her blankly, so she provided me with a better explanation. She didn't know, but that wasn't going to do any good. My mind was a pretzel.

"It was going to happen either way," Emilie explained. "We just made it happen sooner in case someone found us."

"Why was I in a frozen wasteland?" I randomly asked. It had just popped into my mind.

"That happens to everyone. I am not sure why. I'm guessing that it's a way to indicate your transformation," Emilie pondered.

"What?"

"You are dead. So you will never be cold again. That's why you experienced the ultimate source of cold. As for your mind wandering around the room, I have no idea why that happens. I suppose you have to go somewhere while your body is experiencing the transformation." Emilie smiled at me.

_I'm what?_

I looked at Xavier and he nodded. Why? I have no idea.

"I just need some sleep," I told them quietly.

Emilie said something more, but I didn't really care what. I quickly ran to my room. I felt like my brain was fried. None of what she said made any sense. I was not sure if I was going to ever come out again.


	3. Hunger

_Chapter 3._

_ Hunger_

I didn't get much sleep at all. My head was buzzing with information. I wasn't sure if I was in denial or shock. I had been lying here for hours. The clock read 8:20.

I could hear them cooking in the kitchen. The smell of maple and eggs filled my nose. Not one of them down there spoke of me. The smell reminded me of home. I wondered if my mother would miss me at all. Would she even notice my absence?

She had always cared for Katharine more then me. That's how it was for as long as I could remember. She'd probably be happy I was gone. I'm sure everyone was. I bet mother was still in Sweden, but who know how much time has passed. I could have been out for weeks. The door creaked open and I took a defensive crouch in front of the bed.

Emilie laughed and hopped onto the bed behind me. "That's a normal reaction. You are going to feel very threatened for awhile. It's a natural offense, with our kind."

I relaxed and stopped hissing. I didn't even realize I was doing it. I felt a little embarrassed and ashamed. She smiled timidly at me and I frowned. Why was she here annoying me? Perhaps she did this to everyone.

"The hissing is normal too," she added. She stopped smiling and stared at my face. "What's wrong?"

I shrugged. "All this is a lot to take in," I gestured to my body.

Emilie nodded. "You'll get use to it after awhile. Some things are pretty awesome."

"Oh I know," I smiled, remembering the car I crushed.

She smiled back. "Breakfast is ready and you need your strength after what happened...well you know."

I really didn't want to, but maybe it would help me deal with things. I didn't want the other family members to hate me. I especially didn't want Xavier to be angry with me. He saved my life last night and I needed to at least thank him.

"Okay," I agreed.

She bounced out of the room and flitted down the hall. I followed her, but went at my own speed. They were all in the kitchen when I entered. Emilie was not there, though. There were two pairs of green eyes staring at me awkwardly.

"Victoria feels much better," Emilie announced when she entered the room.

I looked away, embarrassed. I just wanted to crawl into bed. Anna was sitting the closest to me. She pulled out the chair next to her, while offering with her hand. I smiled and sat down. Xavier handed me a plate. He didn't look at me. I scowled and stared down at the plate.

"Where's your dad?" I asked him. That way he had to look at me. Any kind of attention was good. I'm not sure why I wanted him to. I guess I was a sucker for a hero.

"He went to get Derrick with Amelia," Xavier muttered. He only glanced at me for a second.

I sighed. He was still mad. I didn't know that he was telling the truth that night. I thought they were all insane. I knew better now. I need to tell him that. Would be believe me?

"So Victoria," Anna paused. "Do you like being called that or do you have a nickname?" she asked, distracting me.

"I like Victoria. That's what my parents and friends have always called me." I answered more bitterly than I intended.

"Oh okay. Where did you use to live?" she asked.

"In Crystal Falls, we had a home next to a beach." Everyone was staring at me. I tried to ignore them.

Anna smiled. "That sounds nice. We were lucky to find this place," she gestured around her.

I guess I need a distraction, I decided. "How long have you lived here?" I asked quietly.

Anna ate her last spoonful before she answered. "Me, myself not long at all. I was born in Boston, Massachusetts." Anna closed her eyes, trying to remember. "On June 17th I think… in 1945. Yep, that's right," she nodded to herself.

"Really?" I uttered in surprise.

"Yes, twenty-three years later I changed. It was on my 23rd birthday." She put her finger to her lips in thought. "It was only a few weeks later that I met Victor," Anna beamed while looking down at her diamond in crested wedding ring. "I would have never survived without him."

"Neither would anyone else," Xavier smirked.

Anna glared at him and he turned away. "Yes, I had a few small integrations," she sighed.

"Small," Xavier scoffed.

"Okay I had a lot. I had no idea what was wrong with me. I thought I was going crazy." She shook her head. "I had a desire to kill everyone that came close to me…some of those desires were fulfilled." Anna shuttered.

I remembered how badly I wanted Agent Dublin's blood. I couldn't control myself. Not even pain would stop me.

Anna stared at my face. "You know what I mean." It wasn't a question.

I nodded. It must have been awful for her. I didn't feel like eating my breakfast anymore. I stared down and the eggs and bacon with disgust. I was able to sip at the orange juice for a little while. Soon, it too made me ill.

"Well this has been a lovely conversation," Emilie half smiled.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I am not one for breakfast talk." Anna chuckled.

I smiled or tried to. "It's fine. I'm glad to know more about you." Hopefully she believed me. I looked over to the kitchen and Xavier was no longer there. Anna was good at distracting.

"I'll talk to you later," I mumbled and took a bite of toast. Then I stalked out of the room. Xavier was leaning against the fireplace staring at me. I smiled as I walked towards him.

"Looking for me?" Xavier smiled. He seemed to be in a better mood.

"Maybe," I hid my face a little. "How did you find me last night?" I tried to make it casual.

"I've had a lot of experience following you."

I raised my eyebrows. "You have?"

He just nodded, not ashamed at all.

"How have you had experience?"

He shrugged. "You know. I've followed you a lot."

Shock crossed my face. "Like when?" I demanded.

"How do you think I knew you were at the BSC?" Xavier waited to see if I was going to freak out more, then he continued when I didn't. "I was watching you, keeping you safe. We knew you'd be one of us someday. I saw them grab you on the beach. It wasn't hard to guess where they were going."

"Did you make the agents crash last night?" I asked curiously.

"In a matter of speaking, yes," he frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"I really wish you would have listened to me. They know we are settled in this town now. The other agents will find their bodies and know what happened." Xavier shook his head.

"What did happen?" I stepped closer to him.

"Emilie went into your room for a girl talk. She saw the window was open and went after you. She knows your scent pretty well now. It wasn't hard for her to track where you went. I was able to track the vehicle that took you." Xavier looked over his shoulder when I car door shut.

"How did you stop the car?" I pressed him for more information.

"Emilie called our parents and then came out with one of the cars. We kept hitting our car into theirs, but they managed to turn away from us. When we thought we were about to lose you, the agents hit the side of a dumpster. I suppose, thinking back at it, that it was rather funny. I was too worried about you to be amused, though." Xavier looked away from me and to the fire.

I looked away from him too. I didn't expect him to care for me so much. He was angry that I had put myself in danger, not his family. I wasn't sure how I would ever thank him for doing that. I would never run away from him again.

"Thank you," I whispered, "for everything."

"You don't have to thank me," he smiled.

"Yes I do. It was my fault. I was an idiot and left. I should have trusted you," I kept babbling on, upset.

Xavier put his finger against my lips. "Don't mention it. It's in the past."

I frowned slightly, but nodded in agreement.

He put his hand down. "Good."

"So how did you know I'd be one of you?" I asked something different.

"I saw you once at school. This was a few years ago, and there was some signs that you were going to change. I have been keeping an eye on you since then," Xavier explained.

"That was two years ago. You have been following me since then?" I was shocked. "And what signs are you talking about?"

"Well…we traced an ancestor that had the gene. Then that ended at you. When I found you, I saw something you did. Something that wasn't entirely normal for a person to do." He smiled.

I thought about it and knew exactly what he was talking about. "Oh you saw that," I chuckled.

I was slightly embarrassed. A few years ago, I had trouble in school with one of the girls. She was one of the popular ones and she was always on my case about something. One day I finally blew up and I shoved her against the locker. I had lifted her up high above my head and to this day I was still shocked about it. I was going to say something more about it, but he looked towards the door suddenly.

"They're back," he murmured.

Amelia burst through the door. She was holding a man's hand. I had never seen her look happier. Victor trailed slowly behind them. His hands were folded behind his back.

"He did it!" Amelia announced. She was practically bouncing up and down. Her curls flew everywhere, but they still stayed perfectly locked in place.

Xavier's smile faded and he looked very uncomfortable. I was about to ask what was wrong, but he disappeared.

Amelia noticed me. "Oh this is Victoria." She told the guy next to her. Then she continued with her extremely peppy chatter.

He smiled and held out his hand. "Hey, I'm Derrick."

He was taller than Amelia, but not by much. He wore a button up silk shirt and denim jeans. His honey blonde hair was brushed back, but hung down messily. I pictured him being a football player, but not one of the huge ones.

I smiled and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," he said casually. Then he brushed his shaggy blonde hair back.

Amelia smiled and took his hand again. "Let's get your stuff unpacked. I have a few things I want to show you." They both flitted up the stairs.

Anna greeted Victor with a hug. I turned away from their embrace. Emilie was watching from the hall, she leaned against the door. I walked over to her.

"Emilie, what's wrong with Xavier?" I asked curiously.

Her eyes widened. She glanced at her parents, and then back to me. "Come with me," she whispered and took my hand.

I was lead upstairs and into her room. Emilie's room looked like it came from a magazine. Everything was perfect. There was a small white fireplace on the right. I sat on the white chair in front of it, and she sat in the other. The sun was shining brightly outside the window. I watched it as she spoke.

"Derrick has been away for a month," she started. "It's hard for Amelia to be away from him for that long. That's why she's been so…," she paused finding the right word. "Well you know," Emilie laughed.

"I'm confused. What does this have to do with Xavier?" I asked.

"I was getting to that part," she sighed, annoyed. "Derrick had gone to see the vampires."

My jaw dropped. "What? Why?" I yelled.

She put her finger to her lips. "Shhh, we have extremely good hearing." Emilie gestured below us with her eyes.

I closed my mouth. "Sorry." I pretended to zip it shut.

Emilie smiled. "Okay. We wanted to be accepted by them and not have to hide anymore. So Derrick went over there to negotiate. You see if were bonded together then we would be family."

"Okay and how do you bond?" I asked, more confused than before.

She paused. "…Well through marriage. They accepted our proposal," she beamed at me.

"So Derrick is going to marry one of them?" I asked.

She laughed. "No. Derrick is married to Amelia. Xavier is going to marry their youngest."

My heart sank, or would have if I was still alive. And I had no idea why.

"It's for the best," Emilie continued. They won't bother us anymore and we can finally live a normal life."

I nodded. "Yeah I get what you mean. Does he not want to do it?"

She looked out the window. The sun was just about to set. "He agreed to it a year ago, but marrying someone you've never met has to be a hard thing to do."

"Where is he?" I asked while walking out of the room.

"Probably on the roof," she glanced back at me.

It didn't take long to find the staircase that led to the roof. The sun was almost gone and Xavier was lying on a lawn chair, watching it set. I sat down on the one next to him. He didn't look at me.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Hey," he whispered back.

"How are you?" I stared at his face, trying to see any emotion.

"Could be better," he breathed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I urged.

"No."

The stars glowed all around me as I lay back on the lounge chair. The roof of the mansion was so peaceful. It was almost as nice as the beach…_almost_. I still missed the sound of the waves against the rocks, and the sand beneath my feet.

"Victoria," he said.

I looked into his green eyes. "Yes Xavier?" I whispered.

"What are you thinking about?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm thinking about a lot of things."

"Whatever then," Xavier smirked. Then he scooted closer to me and stared into my eyes.

"What?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing," he smiled.

I didn't like feeling this way; especially after what he did to me. Then again, he saved my life. It doesn't matter. I don't want to have feelings for him, I thought. Xavier must have seen the turmoil on my face because he started to look at me strange.

"What's wrong?" he murmured.

I shook my head. I wasn't sure how to explain it. Not that I did want to explain it. He sighed, a short frustrated sound and looked up at the moon. I wondered what he was thinking. He had an ancient sadness look about his face.

I looked up at the moon too. I couldn't have feelings for him. He was supposed to marry another girl! It's what his family wanted, however; I'm sure he won't like her at all. I stared at his face, the beautiful pale skin and his bright green eyes. Then I followed sharp small angle of his nose and his flawless lips.

I think I need to leave.

I couldn't be here anymore, not like this. I was just going to hurt myself. He was looking at me again. I raised my eyebrows and stared back at him.

Xavier laughed and looked back at the moon. "I am glad we ran into each other," he smiled.

"Me too," I attempted to smile back."I wouldn't really call it into running in to each other, though. You were the one stalking me."

He smiled again. "True."

"I should go to bed. I am really tired," I whispered while trying not to look him in the eyes.

"Okay," he said disappointedly.

I got up and tried to look tired as I headed to the stairs. Emilie stood at the bottom waiting for me.

"He likes you, you know," she smiled.

I frowned. "I know."

She scowled at me. "True love is always better than an arranged marriage."

I groaned. "I know, but there's nothing either one of us can do Emilie. It's to save our lives!"

"That is not a for sure thing," she noted.

"I don't want to talk about this!" I snapped, throwing my hands in the air.

She folded her hands behind her back and daintily walked away. "Talk to you later."

I sighed. That probably meant a few minutes later to her. I walked down the hall to my room. I jumped back when I saw Anna was there.

"Oh," I said in surprise. I was a little nervous to why she was sitting on my bed.

"Victoria, I wanted to talk. I didn't mean to startle you." Anna had a box of tissues on her lap.

I sat down on the bed next to her. "That's okay what did you want to talk about?"

She half smiled, but she looked upset. "Xavier."

Oh. Was she having second thoughts? I loved to hope so.

"I know that I should let Xavier choose his own wife, but I just want to be a normal happy family. He did agree to do it awhile back, but I still feel terrible." She burst into tears and covered her face with a tissue.

I placed my hand on hers. "I'm sure he doesn't blame you. And if he didn't want to do it he would have said something." I had no idea if that was true. I just wanted to make her feel better.

"Your right," she sniffed and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

I thought of something. "What about the werewolves? They could still come after us wouldn't they?"

She shook her head. "The vampires are craftier and are harder to kill. Werewolves are easier to deal with and kill." She dabbed at her eyes a couple more times.

I looked at the white bedspread, wondering how you would kill one. "How do you kill a werewolf?"

"A silver bullet would work, but they die the same as anyone else. Like I said, they're pretty easy to kill for our kind." She looked at me strange.

"Oh," I said. The strange hunger in my stomach started to become known again. I held my hand against it and leaned over.

"We'll teach you how to feed tomorrow, and then the pain should be gone for awhile." She patted my head. "Early tomorrow," she told me as she closed the door.

I agreed and she left the room.

I fell asleep with my arm clutching my stomach. I wasn't sure how long I slept, but I'm sure it wasn't very long. I was startled awake by someone's green eyes. They were just inches away from my face. I lunged towards him, teeth bared, and growling. I was grabbed by the throat and shoved against the bed. I pushed against his chest and his hands tightened around my throat.

"There is only one way to get out of this," he hissed. Then he tightened his hands in a death threatening grip.

I stopped struggling and stared at his green eyes. The sun began to rise outside and a small amount of light lit the room. It was all the distraction I needed. I kneed him in the side as I bit into his neck. He yelled and rolled over. Then I clutched his throat tightly. To my surprise, he laughed.

"Good job. I was thinking you would do something different." He chuckled again.

More light came in and I could see his blonde hair and the square edge of his jaw. "Derrick!" I said in surprise.

He laughed again. "Who else would it be?"

I jumped back off of him. "What were you doing? Why are you in here?"

"Its dawn, the best time to feed." He gestured to the sun shining through the window.

"You're going to teach me?" I repeated.

He smiled. "Perhaps you'd care to know how to defend yourself as well?"

I was excited and relived to have the pain gone.

"Let's go," he grinned. Then he went out of the room and down the hall in a flash.

I followed him. Outside was quiet and the sun made light blue swirls in the sky. I couldn't stop staring at the detail my new eyes gave me. Derrick continued walking to the back of the mansion. I stared at all the cars as I passed by.

"Where is my car?" I asked curiously.

He didn't look at me. "We disposed of the car in case they were tracking it."

"Oh," I mumbled. All of my stuff was gone. I was more than a little miffed about that. After awhile of walking and flitting, he had led me to a bad part of town. Lots of graffiti and broken down buildings were everywhere.

"Why are we here?" I whispered very nervously. I knew I shouldn't be. No human could harm me.

"I told you that I was showing you how to feed," he whispered back.

I stood there confused and decided to just do whatever he said. We ran across a couple streets. Derrick pulled me into an alley across another street.

"Stay here," he said and leapt onto the building next to us.

"Okay," I mumbled.

That was easy for him to say. I put my hand over my nose and moved as far away as I could from the dumpster. I heard a woman's high pitched scream and Derrick appeared in front of me.

"This way," Derrick said. He grabbed my hand and pulling me further down the alley.

Two men were at the end, one had a knife and the other had a gun. They had a woman pinned against the wall, and were taking her things. I walked toward them, but Derrick stopped me. I glared at him.

"Not yet. We can't be seen so it has to be quick."

I stared at him, waiting. He then took off. The humans wouldn't be able to see him, not at that speed.

"Don't kill…," I started to say.

He smacked the woman's head against the brick wall, and she collapsed to the ground. My mouth dropped.

"How could you!" I uttered.

The two men noticed, just as he bit into the neck of the man with the gun. The man with the knife yelled and took off down the street.

"Go after him," Derrick yelled, blood dripping down his chin.

I was in front of the man instantly. He fell back with surprise and crawled backwards away from me.

"Stay away," he said with fear. Then he waved the knife at me.

I rolled my eyes. The fresh scent of blood filled my nose. He had injured himself when he fell …_how unfortunate for him_. I was overcome with desire and I lost myself. When I came back to reality, I was covered in blood. My tank top, jeans, and shoes were now red.

Derrick was next to the body, which was also covered in blood. "You did well for your first time." He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.

"I killed him," I muttered. I had never killed anyone before. I wanted to feel sick, but my stomach had never felt better.

"Come on. Help me take the woman somewhere safe," Derrick distracted me.

I blinked. "I thought you killed her?" I whispered, confused.

"Nope, people are not supposed to know we exist. I had to put her out." He grabbed her arms and I took her legs.

We put her back in the building, which she most likely came from. "The agents know we exist," I pointed out.

"Yes, but vampires have humans that work for them. Hopefully, after the wedding they'll leave us alone. "We need to dispose of the bodies," he told me while putting one over his arm.

I stared at my hands, watching the blood drip off of them. "I'm a monster."

Derrick turned, dropped the body, and was in front of me instantly. "You are not." He lifted my chin, so he could look in my eyes. "They would have killed that woman. We saved lives tonight."

"Then why do I feel so terrible?" I folded my arms across my chest, horrified at myself.

"It was your first kill. It is normal to feel this way." He took my hands in his. "Trust me." He smiled and pulled me to the body.

"Okay," I whispered and picked up the body he dropped.

I wasn't quite sure where he got the shovel, but nevertheless he had one. Derrick dug two holes in five seconds. I was impressed, till I remembered I could do it too. He threw his corpse and my blood soaked one in each hole. Then he filled them just as quick as he made them.

"Are you ready to go home?" he asked me. Then he brushed all the dirt off of his clothes and hair.

I nodded. I was more than ready to go. The sun was high up in the sky when we arrived home. We weren't gone for more than a few hours, though. Of course, Emilie was there as soon as I opened the door.

"How was it?" she asked excitedly.

I shrugged. "We saved someone."

"Yeah I have always loved that part. Are you okay?"

I smiled a little. "I think so, yeah."

She gave me a hug. "It gets easier. You're not in pain anymore right?"

I shook my head. "No I'm not." That was the only part I was happy about.

"Xavier finally came off the roof," she hinted. "Maybe you should go talk to him." Emilie looked at my sour face and amended. "It's just a suggestion. We can always find another way to get on the vampires on our side."

"I can't Emilie. This is their only chance to be happy." I slumped against the stairs.

"If you haven't noticed, we aren't exactly unhappy," she pointed out. "I can give up a normal life for my brother's happiness…if that is what he wants."

Derrick came in behind us. Amelia was already on the stairs, waiting to greet him. Emilie inclined her small chin toward the stairs and we ran up to her room. I jumped onto her bed as soon as we burst through the door. I stretched out across her bed and stared at the beautiful blue canopy.

"The first time I killed someone…," Emilie began.

I looked at her. She sat on the bay window, staring at the clouds.

"It was raining and very cold. That's the way I felt too …cold." She wrapped her arms around her legs. "He had attacked women before, I could tell. That made me feel a little better, but the coldness was still there." She looked back at me.

"It got better. The first time is always the hardest." Emilie got up and sat on the bed next to me. "I really think Xavier likes you. He would always watch you, even when he wasn't asked to. He wanted to make sure you were safe." She shook her head and laughed.

She came over and jumped on the bed next to me. "I think you should go talk to him," she looked at me with a strange smile on her face. "Go do it!"

"It doesn't matter Emilie," I whispered.

"Yes it does!" She argued. "If you let him go, you could regret it for the rest of your life. Trust me, forever is a long time to regret something."

I frowned at her. She was right. "Okay, I will observe him and see if he likes me."

"Observe him," she scoffed. "I can already tell he likes you."

I smirked. "I just want to prove you wrong."

Emilie raised her head up, arrogant. "I am never wrong. Well sometimes I am, but not about this."

"We'll see," I muttered.

Part of me felt like she was right and I was going to have to deal with something very huge. I didn't want to do this. I walked over to the bay window and sat down slowly. I looked out at the sky and hoped for a better tomorrow.


	4. Dress Up

_Chapter 4. _

_Dress up_

"Hey! Xavier," I called while taking a walk around the house.

As he looked back at me, all the autumn leaves blew in colorful circles around him. In the moment, I thought my heart would come back to life. Snap out of it, I told myself. He's not yours. But I wanted him.

"Hey," he smiled.

I smiled back and I didn't have to make myself this time. "What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"I'm just enjoying the nice weather while it's still here." He closed his eyes and sighed quietly when the sun hit his face.

"We don't burn in the sun, huh." I said, desperately trying to make conversation.

He laughed. "No. Only the vampires do. The werewolf part let's us go in the sun."

"Is that why they have humans work for them?" I asked curiously.

He pursed his lips. "Yeah, that's probably the reason."

"Do you want to go on a walk?" I urged.

"I'd love to," he gestured to a walkway with trees on each side. "My mother loves gardens," he murmured. He must have seen me looking at it intensively. Out of nowhere, he took my hand.

I stared at our hands. Oh no. What was I getting my self into? As we walked, the leaves on the trees fell down around us. Then they seemed to dance in the wind. Xavier smiled at me, and suddenly spun me around to face him.

"What do you think of this place?" he asked.

I smiled and leaned against him. "It is really nice, much better than I thought before." I realized what I was doing and quickly leaned away from him.

"Yeah it's nice here."

I awkwardly looked away, searching for something else to talk about. "It's really pretty outside," I said while looked around at the bushes and trees.

Xavier raised his eyebrows. "Yes, my mom wanted it that way. She likes the woodsy look…yeah," he smirked. He started walking again, but this time he did not hold my hand.

"How come I still don't remember you being there with the agents?" I asked.

"They probably drugged you so you wouldn't. You were pretty out of it," he smirked.

I laughed. "I know." I wished I wouldn't have embarrassed myself like that.

Xavier stopped, sighed and looked behind him. "Go away Emilie."

I looked where he was staring. Emilie peaked out of the bushes and ran away. I shook my head. There would be words between us later.

"Does she know something I don't?" he stared at my face.

"If she does, she hasn't shared with me." I acted innocent.

He smiled and took my hand again. "Yeah I'm sure."

The path had looped around the house, so we were headed back when he asked another question.

"How was the change?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What change?"

He rolled his eyes. "I mean when you changed into a hybrid, of course."

"Ohhh," I said.

"Was it cold?" he asked.

"Yes it was," I said with surprise. "How did you know?"

"I have heard about the change, but I've never experienced it."

I blinked. "What? How have you not experienced it?"

He smiled. "I was born like this. So were Emilie and Amelia."

That made sense. Anna said they were all her kids and they all looked exactly alike. I nodded to make sure he knew I was listening.

"Amelia was born first, then me a year later, and then our always pleasant Emilie five years later." He said that really loud.

Emilie must have been spying again. "So Xavier, how many girlfriends have you had?"

He laughed and looked away embarrassed. "None actually. No one has caught my eye yet," he looked down at me and smiled.

"Quit changing the subject!" Xavier suddenly snapped. "What was the change like?" he pulled me to a stop.

I watched the leaves blow around my feet while I answered. "It was very cold. I woke up covered in ice." I shivered at the memory. "I was in the snow for an hour trying to get to warmth." I sat down on the bench that was next to the hedge. Xavier joined me and placed his hand on mine.

"There was an ice castle. But before I could get to it, I was attacked by a group of huge wolves. I had to out run them and walk across and ice bridge. They didn't make it across. So I went into the castle and it turned into your mansion," I explained, feeling like an idiot.

He gave me a weird look, but I continued.

"I saw my body, you, and Amelia. I followed Amelia into a …tomb."

Xavier looked at me nervously and frowned. "Yes, we do have one. I'm sorry you had to see it. I guess Emilie was right about the mind wandering when you are in that state."

"You really torture people?" I exclaimed, horrified.

He sighed. "Not me. That is Amelia's department. Werewolves find us sometimes and it's her job to find out how," Xavier shrugged. "It could be worse. Sometimes they get lose, though," he added.

That explains the crashing and howling I heard that one night, it seemed like years ago. "Was that what happened the night I was changed?"

"Amelia decided we should turn you that night in case another one escaped and hurt you. But yes that happened. There werewolf didn't break anything, though. I had got angry that night and broke a few things." Xavier brushed his fingers through his hair awkwardly.

I nodded slowly, remembering the shattered chandelier.

"Are you okay?" he laughed, pulling my chin up so I had to look at him.

"Yes." I came back to life. "I was a little lost there for a second, sorry."

"That's okay," he put his arm around my shoulder.

I smiled. "Anyway," I continued with my story. "After that, I went back to my body and when I touched it I got cold again. Then I continued to get colder till I woke up."

He nodded. "That sounds terrible."

"It was," I agreed, shivering.

Xavier's arm tightened around me. "We should go inside. It's almost time for lunch."

"Okay," I agreed.

Lunch was served as soon as we got inside. Emilie sat next to me, practically falling off her seat with excitement. I needed to talk to her later, about her privacy issues anyway. Anna sat across from me, after setting all the food on the table.

"So Victoria, how did the feeding go?" Anna asked.

I shrugged and scooted in my chair. "It was okay, I guess."

"She did very well." Derrick said from behind me and took the seat next to Xavier.

"You shouldn't be so modest," Anna said.

"Sorry," I said quietly. That was all I can manage to say. I was too hungry.

"Sorry I'm so late. I had to talk to a client." Victor sat next to Anna and kissed her on the cheek.

"Where do you work?" I said after I swallowed.

He looked up at me, and then back to his food. "I'm a lawyer."

"Are you serious?" I asked. "I thought we weren't supposed to go anywhere?"

"Someone has to pay the bills." He drank the entire glass of wine. Then he ate a few more bites.

I went back to my food. When I was finally full, I noticed everyone was there except Amelia. Emilie was still staring at me with a million questions in her eyes. I smiled and shook my head at her. She pouted.

"Later," I promised.

"Okay," Victor smacked his hands against the table. "I have to go back to work. I'll see you all tonight."

Anna gave him a goodbye kiss and he was gone.

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed. "We have a visitor coming in a few days." She smiled and looked at Xavier.

Emilie turned her head to the side. "Who is it?"

"Olivia Reneflause, their youngest daughter," Anna said excitedly.

Emilie looked at me with panic in her eyes. I was numb. Xavier just stared at the table.

Derrick was the only one to speak. "Why is she coming here?"

"Well to meet Xavier, of course," Anna smiled warmly at her son.

"Oh," Derrick muttered. "Is it a good idea for them to know where we live?"

Anna looked at the painting on the wall. "I'm not sure, but what choice do we have? I want a normal life. Not just for me, but for all of us."

"I know." Derrick looked around awkwardly. Then he got up and left the room.

Xavier got up and followed him. Emilie inclined her head towards him. I stared at her and she pointed.

"Fine," I sighed. Then I trudged after Xavier.

I knew he had to be on the roof. That's where he always was. I sat next to him again. This time I said nothing, and neither did he. I stared at the clouds, trying to make shapes out of them. I have no idea how much time had passed with us in silence, but it was nice. Finally he spoke.

"Victoria, do you want to go out for dinner?"

I blinked in surprise. "Yes I do."

I stared at his face, trying to guess what he was planning.

"Where are we going?" I asked, trying to sound excited.

He half smiled. "It's a surprise." Xavier took my hand and pulled me up against him. "Go get ready," he whispered in my ear.

I laughed. "Okay."

Emilie was waiting by the door with a huge grin on her face. That explained a lot.

"Oh you're in on it. I should have known," I said.

She giggled and took my hand. "I have the perfect dress for you to wear."

Emilie was in her enormous closet, looking through dress after dress.

"I really don't think you're going to find it," I sighed.

"Yes I will," she said while pulling out three more dresses and a suit.

I shook my head. "No you won't."

"I will," she growled. Then she threw a bunch of clothes wrapping in plastic at me.

I fell back on the bed and closed my eyes. Why does he want to do to dinner with me? I got up and sat at Emilie's vanity, which was next to the window. It was covered in makeup.

"What color is the dress Em?" I asked curiously.

She peered out at me; her arms were full of clothes. "It's black and tan."

I nodded and chose the appropriate makeup. If it was black then she would never find it. I was soon eating my words. Ten minutes later she called out at me.

"Aha, ha-ha! I found it!" She came out with it held in front of her. "…Well?" she beamed.

It was a strapless black cocktail dress. It had a black and white boarder in the middle. Then it had a boarder of the same color on the bottom. In between the boarders was a black leaf design, printed with tan behind it. It was beautiful and perfect for a date.

"Emilie is this a date?" I asked in shock.

"Of course it is. What else would it be?" she gave me a stupid look.

"I know, I know. I just thought since the girl was coming in a few days…" I trailed off, upset.

"Don't worry about Olivia. You don't have to worry about her for two days." Emilie set the dress on the bed and ran her fingers through my hair. "Right now we just need to worry about what hairstyle to wear with your dress." She yanked open a drawer. Then she took out a hairbrush and a curling iron. "We only have an hour left, so let's make this quick."

She brushed, pulled, and curled my hair. Emilie spun me around. "Okay you're perfect. You can look now."

Breathing out slowly, I opened my eyes. "Oh Emilie I love it!" I exclaimed.

"You're welcome." She grinned and brushed my bangs out of my eyes.

My long dark hair looked really short and it was pulled back in beautiful curls. On the side, she put in diamond hair barrettes. I hugged her. I let go when a few taps came from the door.

"I'll get it. You stay," she pointed her finger at me and glared. "Go downstairs and wait," she said, peeking halfway out the door.

I laughed. "Xavier?"

"Who else?" she smiled. "Okay here are your shoes." She handed me a pair of expensive pumps.

I slipped the black heels on and took the matching jacket she handed me.

"Why do I need this?" I whispered, putting it on anyway.

"We may not get cold, but we need to look normal." Emilie replied.

Xavier was standing by the door when I sped down the stairs. I stopped right behind him. He spun around quick and grabbed my arms before I touched his. His hand reached up and stroked my face. Then he stopped suddenly and put his hand down.

He had stared at me long enough to make myself confidence sky rocket, though. He didn't want us to be late, I guessed. Xavier led me to a cherry red Ferrari. The interior was a beautiful shade of crème.

"Wow!" I exclaimed. Where did this come from?" I looked over the car, impressed.

"It's new." He opened the door and helped me inside. It was a half hour drive or at least that's what he told me. "We'll be there soon," he laughed at my impatience.

"What brought all this on?" I asked while staring at his hand on mine.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he smirked.

"Oh come on!" I pleaded. He wasn't being fair.

"So what is your favorite thing to do?" he asked, ignoring me.

I scoffed. "Fine then, I guess I just like relaxing at the beach."

He thought about that for a few seconds. "Yeah I figured that. You were there practically every day."

I glared at him. "So you spied on me every day."

"No practically every day," he smiled.

"Oh, that makes perfect sense," I said sarcastically.

"Good. "

I elbowed him in the side and he grabbed my arm to pull me closer. I stared into his eyes, and then looked down at his soft lips. I leaned in…

"We're here," he suddenly announced. Xavier parked and was outside opening my door for me in the same second.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"Come see." He took my hand and pulled me through the front doors.

The restaurant was just as fancy as I expected it to be. It looked like the same type of one's my parents forced me to go to. However, I was surprised when he led me out of the restaurant and through the back door.

My eyes opened wide and my mouth fell open. "Xavier, it's beautiful."

One table lit with candles stood in the center of a deck. Sparkling lights twinkling above my head. I ran to the edge of the deck. The view was perfect. A waterfall was to my left, and all the way across the view was a small river surrounded with flowers. Behind the river was a forest, but that didn't matter.

My eyes were only for him. "This is so beautiful, thank you."

Xavier smiled. "You compliment it well."

I blushed or it felt like I would have. Then I turned away. He was at the table, holding out my chair when I turned back. I laughed and sat down. He smiled and took his place across from me. I stared at the bundle of roses on my plate and smiled back at Xavier.

"So," I leaned towards him. "What else is on tonight's agenda?"

He shook his head. "It's still a surprise."

I groaned and picked up the menu. I just made a random selection.

"Nice choice," Xavier complimented, "I'll have the same."

"What was your family like?" he asked me while pouring the wine.

I made a face. "They were your typical stuck up rich people who think only about themselves."

Xavier raised his eyebrows. "Okay then never mind that. What's your favorite color?" he revised.

I smiled. "It's green." Ironically, every single one of us had bright green eyes.

"Lucky for me," he blinked a couple times. Then he laughed.

Our food was brought to us only a few minutes after we ordered it. The waiter kept staring at me and smiling at lot more than usual.

"You aren't going to leave me for the waiter are you?" he smirked.

"No of course not," I scoffed.

"I didn't think so," he said in amusement.

"So tell me. Why did you want to take me out?" I hoped he would answer me this time.

He sighed and looked out towards the water. "I needed a break from the family and I like you."

Well Emilie was right he did like me, but how much did he like me? A bigger question was how much did I like him? I stared at the twinkling lights above my head. Why did this have to be so difficult? I finished my food slowly. It was the best meal I have ever had.

"Victoria how'd you like to go for a drive?" he suggested with a hopeful smile.

I nodded. He left some money on the table and we got up. I took one last glance at the waterfall, and then ran to the car with my jacket over my head. It had just started to rain. We both laughed as we quickly jumped into the car. Xavier sped down the street. He still wouldn't tell me where he was taking me.

"Please, just a little hint?" I begged.

"Nope," he smiled.

I pouted and folded my arms across my chest.

He laughed. "We'll be there soon."

I looked out the window and watched the trees go by. It's amazing that I could see them with all the rain coming down. I saw him staring at me in the refection of the window and I looked back at him.

His eyes appraised me from the bottom up. "You are so beautiful," he smiled.

I smiled back, blushed again. "Thanks," I mumbled. I looked back out the window. "You look very nice tonight too," I added. Then I looked over and his expensive suit. Xavier picked up my hand and gently placed his lips against it for a small second.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Something in the back of my head screamed at me not to, but I really could care less. Just as he lowered my hand, I gripped the back of his neck and pressed my lips against his. The car screeched to the left and barely missed an oncoming car.

"Victoria!" He yelled as he got the car back into the right lane.

I got off of him with my eyes wide. "I'm sorry!" I exclaimed. I really didn't expect that to happen. Xavier pulled the car over to the edge of the road and turned to me. I was afraid to look him in the eyes.

"We could have hurt that person. Couldn't you have waited till I stopped driving?" he chuckled dryly.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, ashamed at my self control.

His fingers lifted up my chin. "Don't be," Xavier murmured, "That wasn't good for our first time."

I frowned and was about to apologize again, but his sudden closeness interrupted me. Desire swept through my body, but not in a bad way this time. This time it felt right. His lips crushed softly to mine. I wrapped my arms around him, trying to get as close as possible. I molded myself to him and finally he pulled away. I felt like I was out of breath, although; I was breathing just fine.

Xavier smiled. "That was much better." He started the car again. After a few, very long minutes; he indicated that we had arrived.

"Where are we?" I asked excitedly.

"You'll see," he said, helping me out of the car once again.

It looked like a condemned building in the middle of a bad neighborhood.

"You aren't going to kill me are you?" I asked nervously.

"No," he gave me a weird look. Then he chuckled and shook his head.

I gripped his hand tighter as we walked toward the building. Xavier stopped on the doorstep and knocked three quick taps. Being paranoid, as usual; I searched for any signs of danger. The air smelled normal. No human or non-humans here. The door opened and the smell inside was a whole different story.

I turned around, but Xavier grabbed my arm and spun me back towards the door. Once he was able to get me inside, we walked down a long stairwell. It seemed to go on forever. A door appeared in the darkness, just as I was about to give up and go back. I could smell a faint hint of alcohol. Xavier opened the door and the alcohol smell soaked through the entire room.

Dance music was blasted through speakers, which were placed all over the room. Different colored lights flashed across the floor. It was a club.

"Why would you put a club here?" I mostly said to myself.

"Why not?" Xavier smiled.

He pulled me onto the floor, and wrapped a hand around my waist. "Care to dance Miss Harper?"

I looked at the floor and laughed. Then I accepted his offer. He spun me around and pulled me close again. Xavier dipped and pulled me back up. My lips were then kissed softly.

Some people around us stopped dancing and glared. I thought it was strange, but I wouldn't let it ruin my night. A slow song started playing and that's when he thought of more questions.

"Where were you born?" he dipped me again

"London," I answered.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're British?"

I chuckled. "No. My parents were vacationing there and she happened to give birth early."

Xavier picked me up and spun me in a circle. Then he stood there, holding me in his arms.

"Are you planning on putting me down anytime soon?" I asked with a smile.

"Nope," he kissed me again.

"Okay," I sighed and laid my head against his shoulder.

He laughed and set me down. I was a little disappointed by this.

"What's your middle name?"

"Eileen, what's yours?" I asked.

He blinked and looked embarrassed. "I'd rather not say."

"Is it really that bad?" I asked.

"Yes, yes it is," he laughed. Then he looked around in paranoia.

"Please tell me?" I urged.

He shook his head. His lips were in a straight line, he was trying not to smile.

I glared at him. "You're no fun."

He sighed. "Alright it's …"

Gun shots were fired behind us.

Xavier tackled me. "Stay down," he commanded.

A few people were on the floor, blood ran out around their bodies. I held my breath in case I lost myself again. Growling filled the room. Then five or six wolves were all facing the same direction.

I followed the wolves gaze and sighed. "They are still alive."

Xavier looked up and groaned. "Yes, of course they are."

Agent Simpson and Dublin were standing in the door way, a gun in each of their hands.

"Don't move," he looked down at me and got up.

"Xavier!" I hissed.

He pointed at me to stay down. Dublin cocked his gun and a werewolf lunged at him. Simpson shot it and that sent them all off. The rest of the five wolves took off running at full speed. One more was shot, and then the one behind it locked its teeth on Dublin's neck. He screamed and fired his guns out in all directions. I looked around for Xavier, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Simpson's eyes widened, and then he shot a few more times before he ran out. The remaining wolves chased after him. I could no longer hold my breath, so I ran towards the door. I dodged the bodies that were scattered across the floor.

I gasped for breath, once I was in the stairwell. Then I looked up and saw Simpson running up the last flight of stairs. The wolves were closing in on him. When my breathing finally started to slow, I started the climb.

Halfway up, I saw one of Simpson's guns lying on the steps. I picked it up. It was fully loaded.

"Hmm," I pursed my lips. That could come in handy. I was sure they were gone by now, so I sped up the stairs. I opened the door. No one was outside.

"Xavier," I called.

I sniffed the air. They were here, but not anymore. The Ferrari was still where he parked it. I wish he would have given me the keys. I sighed and walked to the car, regardless. I leaned against it and waited. This date turned into hell.

I wonder how long I'll be waiting here, I thought dryly. A snarl came from behind me. I jumped and quickly turned around. One of the wolves was coming towards me.

Another growl came from the other direction. More and more appeared out of the darkness. I was surrounded. Luckily, I had the gun and shot the closest one. Of course, they all leapt at me.

I jumped over one. It barely missed my ankle. I ran, but unfortunately they were just as fast as me. Werewolves, I realized.

One jumped in front of me and knocked me down. I hissed and bared my fangs. One that I hadn't seen behind me bit me in the shoulder. I screamed out in pain and pulled myself away. With my other arm, I reached back and broke the wolf's neck.

The wolf in front of me lunged at me. I scrambled to my feet, but it was too late. I screamed in pain and tried to get away. The wolf stuck its teeth in my arm and went in deeper the more I pulled.

"Xavier!" I screamed.

I pulled away and tried to use my other arm to pry the jaw off. Everything I did caused the wolf to bite down harder. Blood was gushing down my arm, but I couldn't concentrate on that. The wolf yanked his head and my arm went with it.

I dropped to the ground. My mouth couldn't find words. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the rest of the wolves forming a circle around me. I stared at my decapitated arm in the biggest wolf's mouth. Then I clutched what remained of it on my body. I would soon be dead. I wished I could see Emilie one last time.

I closed my eyes and waited.

One of them yelled a quick growl, but it was cut short. Then it was followed by a snap. I slowly opened my eyes. Xavier looked down at me with a horrorstruck face.

"I told you to stay there!" He yelled and then touched what was left of my arm.

I sat there on my knees, unmoving,

"Victoria," Xavier touched my face. "Look at me." His palm balanced my mangled arm. "Calm down Victoria," he whispered. He was desperately trying to get my attention. "Watch," he nodded towards my arm.

As I looked at it, tears started to build up in my eyes. It moved and I flinched. Xavier held me still and told me it was okay three times. I watched in utter shock as my arm slowly grew back again.

I moved it back and forth. My breath came out in small gasps. I flexed my fingers. It was perfect, like it never happened.

Xavier touched my shoulder. "Better?" he asked.

"How did you do that?" I demanded.

"It wasn't me. We can't be killed very easily Victoria," he said.

"We can all do that?" I asked in excitement. Yet, I was a little freaked out.

"Yep," he said simply.

I stared at my hand. "Where were you?"

Xavier pulled me to my feet. "I had to find out how they knew where we were." He wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"Did you?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes. They were tracking you by your DNA." Xavier replied.

The wolves' bodies were all around me. "How did you kill them so fast?"

"I've had a lot of practice over the years." He handed me the keys. "Get in the car and lock the door. I'm going to put these bodies downstairs with the others."

I sat alone in the car. Why did I have to be such a walking disaster? I looked down at Emilie's dress. Thank god I didn't get any blood on it. I sighed and Xavier tapped on the window. I unlocked the door for him.

"Let's get going," he sighed. "I'm sorry. I wanted tonight to be special," Xavier apologized.

"Don't apologize. You didn't know this was going to happen," I said.

"I still feel awful," he shook his head.

I wasn't sure what more I could say to him. The wet streets went by in a blur and before I knew it we were pulling up to the brick mansion. No one greeted us when we entered. I heard the TV going in the living room, though.

Xavier took my hand and sat down me down on the couch in front of the TV. I didn't think I would ever get over how fast I could run. Derrick was watching some kind of sport that I had no interest in. Xavier sat down next to me, and then set a big book in my lap.

"We have a lot of family photos," he laughed. Then he draped his arm over my shoulder.

I snuggled in closer to him as he flipped through pages. It was amazing how different they looked when they were little. "You look like normal human kids," I teased.

He smiled and pointed to the oldest looking photo. "This is my parents wedding picture."

Anna wore a beautiful old fashioned dress, obviously. I traced it with my finger. "They look so happy," I murmured.

"They still are," Xavier smiled and looked at me in an odd way.

Anna appeared in the doorway. "She's going to be here any minute!"

Derrick looked up from the game. "Already, I thought she wasn't coming for two days?"

Their vehicle broke down and she needs a place to stay for the night. Her mother thought it would be best to get this over with," Anna frowned. She was running around cleaning things that was already clean.

Derrick turned the game off and left the room.

"Everyone dress in something nice. I didn't expect her to be this early," Anna commanded.

Emilie jumped in front of me. She was already in an elegant dress similar to mine. Only it was red.

"We need to talk," she said seriously.

"Okay," I whispered. I barely got out the words before she grabbed my hand and drug me to her room.

"She's two days early! You need to decide what to do now!" Emilie yelled.

I sat down on the bed and put my head on my hands. "I have no idea what to do."

Emilie put her hand on my head. "You love him don't you?"

I didn't answer her. I couldn't ruin his family's chance of happiness. "I have to let him go Emilie."

"What!" She exclaimed. "You can't do that!"

"It's the right thing to do Emilie," I sighed. Despair swept through my body. I knew I would never recover.

"Didn't you have a nice time earlier?" she asked.

"Of course I did. It was perfect," I mumbled. _Except for the ending_, I thought dryly.

I got up and walked out of the room. I didn't want to look at Emilie's angry face. Xavier looked less than thrilled as he leaned against the staircase, waiting for his future wife to arrive. I took a deep breath and prepared to do something I would regret my entire life…

Xavier stared at me for a long moment, trying to make sense of my words. He blinked. "Are you serious?"

I nodded sadly. "It's what I want." I didn't like lying to him, but what else could I do?

He shook his head and glared at me. "Victoria, I want _you_."

I wasn't expecting that.

I looked down at the floor. Every cell in my body was screaming _no_. As usual, I didn't listen to my instincts. "I don't," I whispered through unmoving lips.

I closed my eyes and fought back the tears that would have given everything away. It was too late to turn back now. I saw pain and shock cross his face at the same time.

"I'm sorry," I murmured then walked away.

Anna took his arm and placed him by the couch. He stared at me as I walked up the stairs and sat down on a step. I didn't dare look at him. Emilie sat next to me, a distraction was very necessary. She looked nervously at me.

"It's okay. It is not meant to be," I whispered.

"How can you say that?" she scoffed. "After everything that's happened..." She stared at me wide eyed, her face full of confusion.

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. "It's for the best," I told her.

Even as I said the words, they didn't come out believable. I breathed in and composed myself...I think. Xavier looked back at me, pain still evident on his face. I looked away from him.

"I can't believe you're doing this Victoria," Emilie scolded me.

I ignored her and Amelia sat next to us. Then she sighed.

"You think this is going to work?" she asked.

"Probably not," Emilie said loudly, glaring at me.

Amelia looked back and forth between us. "Fighting?"

I shook my head and Emilie just sat there with her arms crossed.

Two loud knocks echoed through the house. The three of us rose to our feet. I breathed in again, fighting the tears. Xavier took one last glance at me, but I looked away from him.

Anna rushed to the door and pulled it open. First, two extremely muscular guys walked in and stood on each side of the door. Body guards, I noted. A few men walked in after them, and they wore old fashioned suits. Butler's maybe? Finally, Olivia silently entered.


	5. Road Trip

_Chapter 5._

_ Road trip_

Olivia seemed like she floated instead of walked. Her head was held high and her long silver gown flowed around her feet. Her skin was pale and more beautiful than any of ours. Olivia's eyes were dark. They looked strange on her small face.

However, her long blonde hair made it look incredible altogether. My eyes were wide and my jaw had to be touching the floor. She looked like a model. She was ten times lovelier than Amelia.

I tried to keep my shock under control. It seemed like everyone else was trying to do the same too. Xavier unfortunately looked just as surprised as the rest of us. I didn't like how he was looking at her. I kept telling myself it didn't matter, however; I couldn't stop the jealously from consuming me.

"Still think this is a good idea?" Emilie asked.

"Shut up!" I snapped. I didn't intend to be so rude, but I was upset.

Anna greeted Olivia, but she didn't seem like she was the touching type. Xavier came forward, after Anna motioned him. He smiled. No longer did he look in agony. Olivia smiled back, and then nodded. However, she seemed stiff and formal.

Anna gestured to each one of us. We told her our names and nodded. I felt like I was in kindergarten. Olivia smiled and nodded back to each one of us. Xavier and Olivia then locked arms as he began to show her the rest of the house. It was the same way he had showed me a few days ago.

Emilie touched my arm. "Are you okay?"

That's when I decided to go to my room. I collapsed on the bed and could no longer fight the tears. The cold woke me up the next morning. I got up from bed and closed the window.

What can I do today to hurt myself further? I thought dryly. There was a small tap at the door. I just stared out the window.

"Victoria, it's almost noon. Are you going to come out?" Emilie put her hands around me and rested her chin on my shoulder. "How are you?"

I had no idea how to answer that question. When I didn't answer she sighed.

"She's staying here for a few days. Anna said we had to dress up everyday she is here, so I brought you a new dress," Emilie babbled to herself.

I turned and looked at her. She was already wearing a maroon dress that shimmered at the top.

Emilie was holding a long plastic case. "This is your dress." She handed it to me. "Here are some shoes that match too." She set them on the bed next to her.

My curiosity got the best of me and I opened the case. A dark red gown spilled out. It was strapless, which I loved and the top had an extravagant vine design printed in white. At the bottom there was the same design, only in small spots across the dress. They lifted it up in places.

"Thank you," I said. I was grateful for it, but I was too upset to tell her how much I adored it. I ran my fingers over the dress, trying to get my mind off of him.

"You're welcome," she half smiled. "What are best friends for?"

I turned my head in surprise. "You consider me your best friend?"

"Of course, what else would you be?" she grinned.

Part of me was happy, but the other part of me ached. Raya Vincent, I hadn't seen or talked to her in a week. She must think I'm dead.

"I feel the same way," I smiled a little.

"I'll let you get dressed." She smiled back and got up, shutting the door behind her.

The dress looked really expensive, so I put my makeup on, after I showered or put the dress on. I wasn't sure what I could do with my tangled mess of hair. I decided it was a waste of time to do much with it. I just pulled it back in braids, making sure to leave a bump at the top. Then I took the braids and made them into a bun.

I worked on it till I was satisfied, and it stayed where I wanted. I placed small red flowers in the back and sides of my hair. Now it was time for the dress. I carefully picked it up and slid it over my body. Emilie had opened the door in perfect time.

"Zip me up please." I turned my back to her. She zipped it in a flash and the dress was a perfect fit.

"Aren't you glad we're the same size," she giggled. "By the way I love your hair." She lightly touched one of the flowers.

"Thank you," I beamed.

"Your ensemble needs a little something more." She reached around me and put a necklace around my neck.

It looked like diamonds with frost around them, like they had been out in the snow. A ruby dangled down from the chain, which also had frost around it.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"It's yours," she said and took my hand at the same time. "Let's get down stairs. The princess expects everyone to greet her when she comes out."

My eyes widened. "She's a princess? Or are you just complaining?"

"Yeah, she's a vampire royal."

Great, there's no way I could have competed with that. I was right to let him go. We reached the stairs and Anna was waving at us to hurry up. I lifted up my dress and ran to her. I stopped, and then put my hands behind my back. Emilie did the same, but she walked at human pace.

"Don't use your speed in front of Olivia. Vampires don't need to know we're faster than them," Anna whispered to me.

I nodded and Olivia appeared at the top of the stairs. She slowly walked down. The body guards started to follow her, but she pointed at them to stay where they were. Olivia's dress looked elegant and strange at the same time. The top was some kind of poufy silk and blue feather material. It cascaded down and lead to a shimmery light blue normal part. She had a matching tiara and diamond jewelry.

Her hair was in a tight bun, which made her look very strict. Xavier didn't even look at her. His eyes were on me and his mouth was agape. That made all my despair and jealousy vanquish. I knew he shouldn't be looking at me. I opened my eyes wide and pointed quickly at Olivia before she saw me. He narrowed his eyes at me and looked over at her.

"Good morning," Olivia greeted us.

I sighed. Even her voice was perfect, like it was the voice of an angel. She stopped in front of Xavier and smiled. It seemed more real this time. He smiled back immediately, and offered her his arm.

"Care for a walk?" he asked.

"Yes," she agreed while wrapping her arm in his.

As soon as they left, I turned to Emilie. "We're faster than a vampire? How come no one tells me anything?"

"I didn't think about it. I'm sorry," Emilie apologized.

"…And vampire royalty?" I continued.

Anna turned to me. "Charles and Penelope Reneflause are the king and queen of all vampires. Olivia is their daughter."

Emilie took over. "They have two sons also, Vladimir and Nicholas."

"They're the ones who are trying to kill us?" I asked.

"Yes," Anna nodded.

"We need to go eat again," Emilie winked at me.

I narrowed my eyes for a second. Then I got what she was saying. "Ah." My stomach was starting to hurt a little again anyway. She must have not wanted to discus this with Olivia in the house.

"Do you want to go with me tonight?" Emilie asked sweetly.

I smiled. "I would be honored," I said. Then we both laughed.

"Be careful tonight you two." Anna called as she headed to the living room.

"How many years have they been king and queen?" I muttered to Emilie.

"I have no idea. Victor has been alive for at least two hundred years, so maybe four hundred?"

"Okay," I said. Wow, Victor didn't seem that old. I pondered that as I followed Emilie to her room.

I caught a glimpse of Xavier and Olivia walking through the garden. And it was in the same way we did. Then something occurred to me.

"I thought vampires burned in the sun. How come she's not?"

Emilie looked out the window. "She's a royal. They're so old the sun doesn't bother them or they found a way to be able to."

I stared out at them again. Emilie saw my distraught face.

"Don't do that. It's not worth it."

I knew it would hurt me further, but I couldn't help myself.

"Victoria—" she whined.

I sighed and sat on the bay window. "I know this is my fault, but I just wanted everyone to be happy."

Emilie looked down and played with her fingers. "We'd be happy no matter what."

I closed my eyes, trying to push the pain away. "Is there any way we could leave before night falls?"

She pursed her lips. "Possibly."

"Can we now?" I raised my eyebrows.

"It would be risky," she pondered, turning her head to the side. "It will be dark in a few hours. We might be able to get away with it."

"Would they be mad?"

"Maybe a little," she shrugged.

"Let's go now then." I said excitedly.

Emilie laughed. "Okay then, we'll need to change our clothes."

I looked down at my gown, oh yeah. I laid the pretty dress out on the bed and put on some normal clothes. After what happened last time, I didn't want to wear anything nice. Emilie was also wearing a simple pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. It was a lot more fashionable then anything I ever wore, though.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"I think so." I pulled my jacket on.

"We'll take the hybrid." She twirled the keys around her finger.

I raised an eyebrow. "The hybrid?"

She chuckled. "We bought it as an inside joke."

"I guess so," I smirked.

Anna was preoccupied with making dinner. She didn't even hear us shut the door. I didn't think she did anyway. I have been wrong before.

"Which one is it?" I said, looking around at all the different sports cars.

"The silver one at the end," she pointed.

We got in and drove down a small dirt road. "Why are we going this way?" I saw nothing for miles.

"So it will be close to night when we get there," she answered.

It will be the next morning when we get there," I sighed, impatiently.

Emilie rolled her eyes. "You need to be more optimistic."

I tried to focus on the trees and occasional bushes, but I couldn't get him off my mind. "Em, do you think he likes her?"

She frowned and shrugged. "I have no way of knowing. It's possible he's just pretending."

I nodded, trying not to dwell too much on it.

"You never told me what happened on your date?" she asked, distracting me.

I frowned at the memory. It seemed like it was years ago now. "He took me out to dinner."

"Then…," she hedged.

"The dinner was beautiful and very romantic. I don't think I've had a better date in my life."

"You have plenty of time to find out," she laughed.

I half smiled. It sounded fun, but very lonely. "After that he took me to a club. It was amazing dancing together…like we were the only people there."

Emilie smiled, and then it disappeared. "…And you still let him go."

I groaned. "I don't want to talk about that."

"Okay sorry." She held up her hands.

To change the subject, I hurried through the rest of the story. I told her the agents showed up and how they found us. Then how one of them got killed and about all the werewolves attacking me. Her eyes were wide and she was speechless. After a few minutes, she came back to life.

"I don't understand how he could let that happen. Xavier was always so careful about you." She looked at me concern in her eyes. "I am so sorry that happened."

I rubbed her shoulder. "It was my fault. He told me to stay down, but I didn't listen. I went looking for him. Don't feel bad."

"Someone needs to teach you how to fight." She said while looking at my arm.

"Could you, tonight?" I almost begged.

Emilie made a face. "I'm not the best to learn from, although; I can teach you how to avoid getting hurt."

I nodded. "Anything's better than nothing."

"Let's try over here," she pulled to the side of the dirt road, which was next to a burnt down barn. Emilie flitted to the other side of the barn. "Try to attack me," she yelled.

The yelling wasn't necessary. I just think she enjoys it. I ran after her and accidently knocking over a tree. Emilie jumped over the barn and landed on a tree branch. I ran through the ash and wood to launch myself at the tree.

Emilie jumped away at the last second and flipped onto the ground. I let go of the branch and ran out ahead of her. She stopped quickly and turned back, but not before I gripped her ankle. I barely blinked and she was gone. Somehow she slid out of my hand and was back on the top of the barn.

"See? You can play games like this all the time and they will never catch you," she laughed.

"How did you get away from me?" I asked, impressed.

"Skills," she smiled and walked away arrogantly.

This continued till it was completely dark out. I would eventually catch her and she would get away from me. She let me try a couple times, but it didn't end well.

"Don't worry you'll get the hang of it. It just takes some practice," Emilie assured me.

I leaned against the remaining side of the barn. My stomach was starting to tear me apart from the inside.

"Let's go find dinner," she said quickly, after she appraised my pained face.

We walked down the street. A couple of guys were walking down the other side. Actually one of them might be a girl. It was hard to tell.

"Drug dealers," Emilie sniffed.

"How can you tell?" I narrowed my eyes at them.

"I can smell it on them." She sniffed again.

I breathed in deeply. Oh.

"You take the guy," she snarled "I'll take the girl or whatever it is." She disappeared into the darkness.

I ran up to them, trying to look as human as possible. "Excuse me…" I started to say, till the guy pulled out a gun and aimed it at my head.

"What the hell do you want?" he demanded.

My surprise left me speechless. When I didn't answer, he cussed at me and cocked his gun.

The girl or guy yelled. "Just shoot her already!"

This confirmed that she really was a girl. How strange. Emilie sprang out of the shadows and knocked the girl to the ground. The guy turned his gun on her and I snapped his neck. I sang my teeth deep into his throat and drained him dry. Emilie had finished before me, but I didn't get any blood on my clothes. I was very proud of myself.

"That was perfect. It was almost like you've been doing it for years," she complimented me.

"How could you tell they were bad people?" I stared at her.

"I'm not quite sure. I just had a feeling."

"Was it just because they had drugs?" I asked.

"No, of course that's not why. That didn't have anything to do with it. I can just sense that kind of thing," she shrugged.

"Where should we put the bodies?" I picked the guy up, making sure not to leave anything behind.

"In the dumpster over there," she pointed next to a restaurant.

I looked at her questioningly, but she gestured for me to follow her. Emilie picked up the girl's body and tossed it in the dumpster. I copied her. She found some nearby paper and held it over the bodies. With a flick of a lighter, the whole dumpster was in flames. Her phone rang.

"Hello," she answered on the first ring. "Okay we'll be there soon, bye_._" She hung up. "We're late." She gripped my hand and we ran back to the car.

"What are we late for?" I managed to ask as she shoved me in the car and took off at full speed.

"Something to do with Olivia," she answered, annoyed.

"Oh," I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah," she muttered. "My mother wants us to be there, so I won't be too late," she said. The speedometer slowly went up higher and higher.

It only took fifteen minutes to drive back. Emilie parked it in the same spot exactly.

"Derrick likes them to be even." She sighed and shook her head.

Everyone was in the living room, though they were just sitting there doing nothing. As we entered, they all looked up simultaneously. Olivia looked angry or maybe that was just her natural look.

"Now that we are all here," she said formally. "I have something to announce…"

I froze while fear coursed through my veins. _Don't say it_, I pleaded.

"I am taking Xavier with me for a few days, late tomorrow evening." Olivia looked around the room in pride.

I relaxed and let out the breath I had been holding. Emilie moved from her rigid pose as well. Where was she taking Xavier?

"I'll see you all in the morning." She bowed to Xavier and walked upstairs. Then she went into the room she had been staying in.

"I'll be right back," Emilie whispered in my ear.

I watched her flit up the stairs in curiosity. Anna and Victor were sitting on the couch, staring at each other. Amelia and Derrick seemed to be lost in their own little world as well. I decided not to bother them and quickly turned away. Xavier had begun to stare at me.

I walked into the lounge and stood in front of the fire, like I had so many days ago. His slow footsteps stopped behind me. I turned, prepared to say something harsh so he would stay with Olivia. But Xavier's lips crashed hard against mine.

I thought about pushing him away and yelling at him. But it was just a thought. Somehow we ended up on the floor. I peaked behind his shoulder for a second to make sure we were alone. He immediately pulled my face back to his. I wrapped my arms and legs around him. The grandfather clock struck 9:00 when he finally removed his lips from mine.

"I knew it," he whispered. That was all he said. Then he ran upstairs, leaving me half dressed.

I heard why a few seconds later and took off up the stairs, carrying my clothes. I slammed the door with my back against it, breathing hard.

"Where's your shirt?" Emilie asked with a weird smile on her face.

I covered up my chest quick and looked away embarrassed. "Your parents were heading to bed. He's still wants me," I added under my breath to Emilie.

She grinned and jumped onto my bed. "Tell me everything!"

I sat next to her on the bed as she made me give her every little detail. I would have blushed if it were possible. Eventually we passed out. The next morning, I heard laughter coming from outside. I walked over there quietly, trying not to wake Emilie.

I watched as they sat on the patio, teacups in their hands. They laughed and looked lovingly into each other's eyes. I gripped the edge of the window seal so hard it cracked in half. She reached out in front of her and put a piece of crumpet in his mouth. He did the same for her. My teeth gritted against each other. He was doing it on purpose.

I was aware that Emilie was behind me the entire time. I paid her no attention and continued imagining Olivia in the tomb. Then me with one of the many saws…

"This is not healthy," Emilie finally spoke.

Still ignoring her, I leaned farther out the window as he brushed her blonde hair out of her face. I saw his eyes look up at me and he smiled. I cussed and growled. Then Emilie pulled me back into the room just as Olivia looked up.

"Look, you can't keep doing this," she scolded. "It was your idea to break it off with him."

"I know, but he's trying to make me jealous on purpose." I moaned and threw myself on the bed.

"I know what might cheer you up," she tempted.

"What?" I mumbled against the mattress. I was surprised she could understand me.

"How bout we sneak off tonight and go to Crystal Falls?"

I looked up at her confused. "I thought we couldn't go there because my parents were probably looking for me," I said.

"That is why I said _sneak,_" she whispered.

"What are we going to do there?" I asked.

"We are going to get your stuff," she grinned.

"What!" I sat up on the bed.

"You heard me." She spun around in front of the mirror.

"What if my parents, my sister, or friends see us?" I looked at her face. Was she really that crazy?

"They won't." She seemed completely confident in herself. "How do you like my new dress?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Don't change the subject."

"So you don't like it?" she pouted.

"Emilie!" I groaned and tilted back on the bed.

"It would be just a quick in and out." She laughed.

"But what if it isn't?" I hedged.

"It will be," she glared, serious now.

"When are we leaving?" I asked as she put her jewelry on.

"As soon as you get ready," she muttered, narrowing her eyes at my pajamas. "Go get dressed," she ordered.

I decided to wear something more natural. Wearing gowns all the time was getting dull. I came out with a tee shirt, vest, and jeans.

Emilie stared at me for a long moment. "I guess it's better than the pajamas."

I never thought it would be so easy to get out of the house without anyone noticing. How many times had we done it now? Emilie pushed the unlock button on the keys. I was a little surprised about what car she chose.

"Won't someone notice the Ferrari is missing? I asked.

"Probably," she said.

"Then why are you taking it?"

She didn't answer me right away. "Come on Victoria, where's your sense of adventure?"

I sighed. "Oh fine." Then I hopped into the passenger seat.

"I'm not allowed to drive this," she giggled.

I laughed. "That figures."

She pulled out of the drive and floored it. We were in town in mere minutes.

"How many days are we going to be gone?" I mumbled, worried.

"No more than two," she shrugged.

I was excited and very nervous. "Are you sure we're not going to be caught?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"I have a cell in case something really bad happens," she added.

Great, now I have some new things to add to my fears.

"It will be fine," she assured me.

Emilie was very good at dodging cars. I was about to scream, but then she moved around it fast. I was going mad with all the panic attacks. I needed a distraction.

"Thank you for doing this," I smiled.

"You are very welcome. Anything to get you out of the house, it was depressing me," she chuckled. "Did you want to get something to eat?" she asked suddenly.

We were almost out of the city. "No. I just want to get some miles between us and home."

"Okay," she said and turned on the radio.

I really needed a better distraction. She did consider me her best friend. I felt bad that I didn't know much about her. I had time to change that now.

"Emilie, what are some of your favorite things to do?"

She pondered for a moment while flipping though radio stations. "Well…I love shopping, trying on clothes, makeovers, and painting?" She paused. "I'm just your typical girlie girl," she laughed.

"What's your middle name?"

"Amaya," she smiled.

"What's your favorite color?"

Emilie put her finger to her lips. "Hmm probably purple," she decided.

"How did you change me?" I had wondered about that for awhile and was too afraid to ask anyone else.

"Oh that's a long story. Good thing we had plenty of time." Emilie glanced at me nervously.

I waited patiently for her to start.

"Okay," she began. "If it's in your blood to be a hybrid then you will automatically change at a certain age."

"How is it in my blood?" I interrupted.

"One of your ancestors must have been unfaithful and you were the lucky one to get the gene."

Figures, I've never had much luck.

"Anyway you change anywhere from 18 to 20. We didn't want to wait for you because something bad could happen before you changed. So we sped up the process. Amelia knocked you out since you were being unreasonable. Then we hooked you up to a few machines to make sure you stayed alive. Finally, Victor bit you and gave you some of his blood." She nodded and turned to into another lane.

"So it's similar to how a vampire would change someone?" I asked.

Emilie nodded again. "Yeah, pretty much."

"To be honest, I wasn't being unreasonable they just grabbed me and drug me downstairs." I muttered.

"Yeah that was just Amelia's words. She doesn't have much patience. That's why she told Xavier to do that. This is also why he had lost his temper earlier that night." Emilie dodged another car.

I closed my eyes. I had no idea why it scared me so much. I wouldn't die.

"What is your family like?" Emilie asked.

I rolled my eyes. Why does everyone keep asking me that? "You really want to go into that?"

"Yes," she smiled.

"Okay," I sighed. "They're rich and want everyone to know it. They were always at a party or having one. Therefore; they were never home or said more than two words to me at a time. They are very selfish."

"What about your sister?" Emilie turned towards me.

"Ugh Katharine, she was the favorite so she always got spoiled," I scowled.

"So she wasn't too pleasant to be around either," Emilie frowned.

"Nope," I agreed. "There isn't much else to say about them," I muttered.

"We're halfway there," Emilie said excitedly.

"Wow," I exclaimed. "Those hours went by really fast."

She nodded in agreement. "I'm so excited. It's fun being bad."

I laughed. "Yeah it kind of is."

Emilie smiled and started to unload all the questions she could on me. "What's your favorite flower? How many guys have you dated? What types of things do you like to do?" She laughed as I tried to think about which one to answer first.

"I think the rose is my favorite flower. Umm I have only dated one guy and I don't know lots of stuff," I answered.

"Like…," she hedged.

"Like relaxing, mainly on beaches or just lounging around watching bad TV shows," I smirked. "I am really easy to please. I like doing just about anything."

"Was that so hard to say?" she laughed.

We spent the next half hour telling stories and getting to know each other. We had a lot more in common than I thought. The time flew by.

"We're in Crystal Falls," Emilie gestured to the population sign. "Do you want to eat now? I'm starving."

"Yes!" I practically yelled and she half smiled. She turned into the closest fast food place. "What time is it anyway?" I stretched and yawned.

"About noon," she handed me the food I ordered.

I inhaled the food, barely chewing it. "I'm such a pig," I complained, disgusted with myself.

Emilie laughed then ate her food just as fast as I did. "It's the werewolf part of us," she explained. "They always eat a lot and vampires eat very little," she shrugged.

"You mean drink," I amended.

She smiled. "Yes, so that's why we only drink blood once in awhile and eat like a human does."

I took a sip of soda. "What else is there that I don't know?" I raised my eyebrows waiting.

"There might be some things," she finally said.

"Like my limbs being able to grow back?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Maybe…" she said slowly. "We are able to make humans pass out, as you well know," she chuckled.

I remembered Amelia's eyes looking deep into mine and shook off the memory.

"We can control them somewhat too, but not completely."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Hybrids can't control a person's mind completely. We can only do it for a certain amount of time," Emilie explained.

"How long exactly can we do it?" I asked, intrigued.

"Probably no more than five minutes," Emilie pondered.

I leaned in closer to her. "What else is there?"

"Not much more," she replied. "We don't die as easily as the others, and of course never get old." She took my soda and finished it off. "We can change too, but you have to wait till your first full moon."

"What!" I yelled. "I'm going to turn into a wolf?"

Emilie smiled. "Yes, we all did. It is only uncontrollable the first time. After that you can turn by choice," she said.

"How come no one told me this before?" I asked angrily.

"We would have told you when it got closer to the full moon," she explained.

"So can you teach me how to be a wolf too?" I was so stressed. I thought I was finally getting the hang of being a hybrid. And now I have to learn how to be something else.

"Yes we can. It's very easy after a few tries," she nodded, trying to get me to trust her.

"Can I eat or drink as one?"

"Yes and you don't have to hide the body. They will just assume it was an animal attack."

"That would be nice," I pursed my lips.

"Though, you cannot tell which people are good or bad. You usually just end up attacking the one that smells the best," she frowned.

"Oh," I mumbled. I guess I wouldn't be feeding much as a wolf.

"Sometimes you can combine the two abilities," Emilie added.

"How do we do that?" I smiled.

"When you fight, you can make your claws come out. Also, are teeth can become sharper and we can move faster than most supernatural creatures." She gave me an arrogant smile. "Well are you ready?"

I looked out the front window. My old home was in view and I could see the beach I had once adored. All the lights were on in the big house. Emilie's home was much bigger, so it was smaller to me. I sighed. I had never been one for breaking an entry.


	6. Full Moon

_Chapter 6._

_ Full moon_

"This is a very bad idea." I was pacing back and forth beside the car.

"Would you relax," Emilie groaned.

"There is no way we won't be caught. Look how many people are there!" I fanned my arm towards the house, and then continued pacing.

We had hidden in the shrubbery across from the house. Of course, my parents were having another one of their parties. I knew they wouldn't care if I was gone. Emilie had a pair of binoculars pressed against her eyes. I'm assuming she was looking for a place to sneak in.

"Just forget it," I sighed.

"There is no way I am not getting your things after we drove all this way," she growled.

I leaned against the car, defeated. Laughter came from the parking lot. We both got down into the bushes.

"That's my sister," I whispered to Emilie. Katharine was surrounded by guys who were telling her how sorry they were for her loss. She was eating it up.

"She looks delicious," Emilie sniffed in her direction.

I stared at her wide eyed for a few seconds. Then she laughed.

"Kidding," Emilie snickered.

Katharine disappeared behind the house and Emilie pulled me forward.

"This is crazy," I pulled out of her grasp.

"We are doing this Victoria." She gripped my hand again and we flitted to the side of the house.

I saw Katharine making out with one of the guys in the trees to the left of us. "She's distracted," I commented.

"Which window is your bedroom one?" she asked, while looking up.

"On the other side of the house," I looked around nervously. The house was full of music and laughter. I don't think anyone would hear us at least.

"The patio is filled with guests. We'll have to go on the roof," she said.

"I don't think we can jump that high," I said warily.

"We can't and we won't." She spread her fingers out and I watched in amazement as her nails formed into claws. Emilie jumped against the house and dug her claws into it. "Your turn," she called. "Oh I'm sorry," she muttered. "I forgot that you haven't changed yet."

Emilie sighed and climbed down a little to my level. "Get on my back and I'll carry you up."

It was strange, but I did what she said. She scaled the side of the house and flung herself at the top. Luckily, my room was on the fourth floor. We didn't have to go down very far. Emilie dangled herself above my window and dropped. I did the same, but not as gracefully. I broke the window.

"Well I don't have to break it myself now," she smirked.

Amazingly my room was just how I left it. My sheets were rolled up at the end of the bed, shoes were scattered across the floor, and my makeup was still on the sink. I stared at the paintings I once loved and would never see again.

"Victoria. We have a job to do," Emilie sighed, impatiently.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I stammered. I started to grab the shoes I liked off the floor. When I grabbed some jeans and plain tees from the floor, Emilie stopped me. Emilie took out this huge bag that I had never noticed she had.

"Put everything in here," she held it open for me.

I shoved all the shoes, clothes, and personal belongings I could fit in it. That included my favorite picture of me and Raya.

"I think that's everything. Let's go," I told her.

The door burst open. I was suddenly in the bathtub and Emilie put her finger up to her lips.

"Shhh," Emilie shushed me.

It was Katharine again. I could see from the side of the shower curtain. And she wasn't alone.

"Here it is. I knew it had to be good for something." She handed the stranger one of my paintings.

How could she just give away my stuff like that?

Katharine looked around curiously. "I swear there was more stuff in here. She brushed her shaggy brown hair back. "Oh well, maybe my mom threw it away."

The door shut and Emilie quickly walked out of the bathroom, dragging me and the bag behind her. I was upset to know they never really cared about me, but I kind of knew it all along.

"Come on," Emilie urged. "We have to leave…Now!"

I ran into a man, who was drunk beyond belief. I think I had gone to school with him. He called my name and tried to chase after me. He fell face first in a bush. I watched his legs kick from the top of the leaves. Emilie laughed and pulled me with her as we left the yard.

We left the house the same way we came in and ran to the car. Emilie threw the bag in the backseat and sped off down the street. She seemed to not be in a pleasant mood anymore. It was a very drastic change for her.

"Why are you in such a hurry? We accomplished our mission. Now we can relax," I smiled. "You were right I should trust you more," I added.

"Then you should trust me now that everything is going to be fine." She stared at me with panic in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered nervously.

"I remembered something on the roof. Something I should have never forgotten. Something no one should have ever forgotten." She shook her head sadly.

"Emilie what is it?"

She said nothing and kept driving faster down the road.

"Damn it Emilie tell me!" I yelled.

"I have to get you somewhere secluded fast," she told me.

"I'm so sorry. Everything will be fine." She kept saying it over and over.

"Emilie?" I whispered through unmoving lips, truly afraid now.

"Tonight is the full moon." She said.

I turned to stone. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I stayed like that till the car finally stopped and I felt Emilie's hands touch my face.

"Victoria. It will be alright, I have been through this before." She stared into my eyes with both of her hands on either side of my face. "You need to get out of the car," she commanded.

I blinked and moved my body in the direction she wanted me to go.

"Just be calm and breathe," she did motions with her hands.

It reminded me of someone giving birth. My mind started to comprehend the situation "I'm not even prepared for this," I whispered, upset.

"I know, I know I'm sorry," Emilie apologized again. "It is painful, but it doesn't last for very long." She looked up at the sky. "It will only be a few minutes more," she whispered.

I crouched on the ground and held my head in my hands. "What am I suppose to do?"

"Nothing, it just happens." She shook her head.

"You just told me about this today!" I snapped. "Were you ever planning on telling me? Or were you just going to let me figure it out on my own?" I yelled a few more times till I realized what I was doing. "I'm sorry," I muttered, slumping to the ground again.

"It's starting already. Anger comes with the change," she said quietly.

"What if this never happened to me? Would you have even told me about it? That someday I would transform into a bloodthirsty creature. You just want to see me in pain don't you?" I came after her with my fangs out.

Emilie backed away from me a few steps. "You know that isn't true. Look up there!" She pointed to the sky.

We both looked up in the sky; the moon emerged from behind the clouds. I fell back against the ground repeatedly in agony. I screamed and clawed at the dirt. Pain coursed through my veins, covering every inch of my body. Emilie was standing in a tree with a horrified expression on her face.

"Make is stop!" I screamed and threw myself onto my back.

"I'm sorry, it will be over soon. I promise," she called.

Another jolting pain went through my body and my screams turned into howls. It felt like my body was turning inside out. I screamed one more time and flung myself in a spiral. I must have looked like a demon to anyone watching. Hunger replaced the pain and I took off through the trees.

"Victoria stop! Come back!" Emilie yelled.

She mattered very little to me. I ran faster and leaped between the trees. Every single sense was heightened. I felt like a million sparks were all over my body and eventually they would all end at an explosion. I could smell every animal from within a few miles, but none of them appealed to me. I couldn't concentrate on finding any particular thing. My mind was set on what I could smell and my ability to enquire that smell.

A deer jumped in front of my path and I pounced at it. The deer didn't have any time to react or even turn its head. I killed the deer, however; I did not eat it. I knew it seemed like a waste, but I had no desire for that kind of flesh.

Emilie appeared in front of me, just as I turned a corner. I growled and got ready to attack. Slowly she raised her index finger and pointed to the right. A couple of hikers were walking up the trail. I was on them instantly.

There was a yell and a shot, but I was fine. The hunger still wreaked havoc inside me, though. I ducked through the trees again as I ran to a new direction. I howled and chased after the new scent. A light brown wolf cut me off. It growled and snapped, barely missing my throat.

I stood my ground, defending myself. It came closer. I saw the bright green eyes and understood.

It was Emilie.

She turned and inclined her head for me to follow. Then she took off. Emilie ran gracefully between the trees. I had a hard time keeping up with her. Finally, we came to a clearing where a group of people were camping. It was not the previous scent I was chasing, but I didn't care one bit.

Emilie lunged forward, attacking the man sitting closest to us. The rest of them jumped up and yelled. One of them ran into the forest. It excited me, and I closed in behind him. When I tried lunging for his throat, I was stopped short by Emilie. She forced me to turn around and we attacked the ones in the clearing.

I howled again, striking fear in the campers around me. One of them hid in the tent. I wouldn't have done that if I were human. It had stupid written all over it. I jumped onto the tent and ripped it to shreds with my claws. The man screamed as I gripped his legs with my iron jaw grip. We cleared the camping area in a matter of minutes and I never had so much fun.

I awoke looking up at the stars. The sun was gleaming behind the hills. I sat up slowly and groaned. My muscles ached everywhere. I couldn't remember a thing that happened. Also, I was nude.

"Where did my clothes go?" I covered myself up with my arms and looked around. Emilie was only a few yards away, still asleep. My clothes were nowhere to be found. Emilie apparently has misplaced hers too. I shook her. "Emilie?"

She sat straight up with a gasp. "What's wrong?"

"I'm naked."

"So?" she scoffed. "Of course you are. What did you think was going to happen?"

"I have no idea what happened." I looked at her confused.

"Oh," she sighed and threw her hand on her head. "Yeah that happens the first time, but you did good …sort of." Her eyes narrowed a bit. "Let's go figure out what I did with the car." She got up and walked toward the trees.

"Where are our clothes?" I ran after her, which was very hard to do while covering yourself.

"Probably in the woods, ripped to shreds somewhere," she muttered.

"I was a wolf last night?"

"So was I."

"I wasn't very good at it?"

"I didn't say that. You were fine. You just ate a lot more than you should have…" She paused and looked at the sky. "We need to find the car before the sun comes up."

We flitted through the trees till we came to a huge clearing. Smoke led to two tents and a fire that was never put out. Blood spatter was all over the front of the tent, along with mangled body pieces thrown everywhere.

"I did this," I whispered.

"You had help," Emilie said, still walking to the other side of the clearing.

I followed her, trying to get the blood image out of my head.

"I made sure they were bad people, so don't feel bad." She called over her shoulder.

How could I not feel bad?

"I found it. It's just a mile away," Emilie waved at me.

We both flitted to it and sat down in the car. "Good thing we have my bag full of clothes," I smirked.

I banished all bad thoughts to the back of my head. I wasn't human. I didn't need to be so emotional. "Are we going home?" I looked at the sunrise. I missed it here so much.

"Yes, we have to. I'm in enough trouble as it is." She frowned and took off down the street. "Find me something cute in the bag," she smiled.

I knew she liked dresses, so I pulled out a ruffled purple one. She pursed her lips and somehow managed to put it on without the speedometer dropping. The shoes took awhile, so I settled for a black pair and Emilie didn't mind. To make her happy, I choose a jade green dress for myself.

"It really makes your eyes pop," she laughed.

I laughed with her. "Should we call them?" I asked, worriedly.

"No!" Her eyes popped out wide. "Are you crazy? Then they will think of a million ways to punish me. I'll probably end up in the tomb," she shuddered.

I chuckled. "They wouldn't do that to you."

She scoffed. "You want a bet?"

I sighed and laid the seat back. "I'm really tired. Wake me when we get there."

"Okay," Emilie said.

I passed out instantly and like she promised she didn't wake me till we got there. Until we got into the driveway to be exact. Emilie shook me awake and I sat up with Derrick standing in the driveway, glowering at us. _That's always a pleasant way to wake up_, I thought sarcastically.

"Are you ready to face the music?" she muttered.

"You're in deep," Derrick stated as we got out of the car. "You took her on the night she changed. Are you insane? You could have gotten hurt or killed a lot of innocent people."

"Nothing bad happened," Emilie lied.

"It doesn't matter. It was irresponsible," he sighed. "I'll let your parents talk to you about it." He stalked off to the backyard.

I frowned at her, and then got my bag out of the car. "I thought you did a great job," I murmured.

She half smiled. "Thanks."

Emilie sat on the edge of the car and sighed. I went ahead and walked into the front door. Anna and Victor were standing by the stairs, upset expressions on their faces.

Anna rushed up to me and put her hand on my face. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," I smiled a little. "I'm kind of sore and tired," I admitted.

"That is normal," Victor spoke.

"Emilie did a good job for neither of us being prepared." I tried to stick up for her.

Anna made a face. "Yes well, you should head up to bed. The first change takes a lot out of you."

I started to say I was okay, but she pushed on my back.

"Scoot." She pointed up the stairs.

I did as she said, however; I wanted to see how much trouble Emilie would be in. I shut the door and collapsed on the bed. I didn't even notice that someone else was in the bed with me. I felt fingers run through my hair. I jumped and looked up.

He smiled. "I'm sorry for scaring you." Xavier paused to wait for my reaction. Then he continued when I said nothing. "So how's my wolf doing?" Xavier chuckled as I rolled my eyes.

I closed my eyes as he kissed me.

"I missed you," he whispered in my ear.

I smiled. "I missed you too. How was your visit with Olivia?"

He raised his eyebrows. "It was educational."

I turned so I was facing him and he put his arms around me. "Thanks for leaving without a warning last night. What would your parents have thought? Seeing me half dresses on the floor." I shuddered at the thought.

Xavier laughed. "I'm sorry I thought you didn't want to be together unless it was a secret."

I traced his lips with my finger. "I wanted everyone to get their normal life," I whispered.

He kissed me again. I kissed him back this time and moved as close to him as I could get.

"She is so boring," he groaned.

"I can tell." I laughed.

"The vampires are like that," he sighed and snuggled closer to me.

I wanted to go lock the door in case someone saw us, but I couldn't make myself move. I was a good hybrid so far wasn't I? I deserved this even if I shouldn't be doing it right?

I moved towards his face and kissed his forehead. Then my lips trailed downwards till I found his lips. He put his hand on my neck, pushing me tighter against him. My hand rubbed his chest up and down. I wasn't quite sure what he liked.

"I love you," he breathed against my neck.

"I love you more," I smiled. I kissed him again and I was overcome with desire…

The room was dark. Where was I? I blinked and tried to get up. I couldn't.

I was stuck. Xavier was draped on top of me and the wild memoires of the night returned to me. He moved a little, positioning his head better on my chest. I smiled and put my head back against the pillow.

The clock in the corner read 6:30. The others would be up soon. I needed to at least lock the door. Emilie liked to burst in and wake me. She didn't need to see us like this, in the bed.

"Xavier?" I whispered, rubbing his back.

He moaned and griped me tighter, which brought back many memories of last night.

"What is it?" he murmured, still have asleep.

"You need to go to your own room," I said quickly.

"No I don't. I'm exactly where I belong," he argued.

I smirked. "I know you are, but this is supposed to be a secret."

Xavier ignored me and snuggled deeper into my chest. Then he pressed his lips to my neck.

"Alright Victoria," he sighed and found his clothes. "I'll see you tonight," he smiled then flitted out of the room.

Then of course, the door opened right after he left. As if called, Emilie entered with the biggest smile I've ever seen on her face.

"Do you ever sleep?" I threw my arm over my face and groaned.

"Oh my god… and I don't need much sleep," she answered. The grin never left her face as she sat down at the end of my bed. "You're going to need to wash the sheets," she laughed.

I threw a pillow at her. "Don't tell anyone," I hissed.

She looked appalled. "I would never do that to you. What kind of friend would I be? How did this happen?" She snuggled in next to me, curiosity swimming through her eyes.

"Xavier was in my room waiting for me last night," I explained. "Then we talked a little and he told me something. I couldn't control myself," I blurted out all at once.

"Is he going to dump Olivia?"

"I hope not," my eyes widened.

"Why? You love each other," she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Don't start this again. I just want it to be a secret for now, okay. I haven't decided anything yet."

"You should get dressed. Derrick wants to show you some wolf things," she smiled. She let the whole conversation drop instantly.

"Oh great," I muttered, putting the pillow over my head.

She pulled it off. "Come on get up."

"How much trouble did you get in?" I asked.

"Not much. They mostly just lectured and yelled at me." She answered. Emilie opened the curtain letting in the sun. "Derrick was more upset than them. I took his Ferrari," she rolled her eyes.

I figured whatever Derrick wanted was going to involve labor, so I chose clothes I didn't care for too much. An old pair of jeans and long sleeved white tee. I always end up destroying my outfits anyway, however; I was getting better. I walked out of the room.

"He's in the back." Emilie called as I started to go down the hall.

"No, No, No!" Derrick said angrily. "You're doing it completely wrong."

I got up off the ground, growling.

"Again," he commanded.

I lunged at him, teeth bared, and claws out. He once again twisted out of my reach.

"You have to be much better than this if you want to survive," Derrick sighed.

"I'm trying." I glared from the ground.

"Are you? It doesn't seem like it!" He snapped.

I jumped to my feet and dug my claws into his stomach. He groaned, falling against me. I smiled arrogantly till he raised his head and laughed. Derrick pulled my hands out of him and I was on the ground again.

"Ugh!" I yelled, slamming my fist on the ground. There was a gopher sized hole underneath my hand.

"On the bright side you managed to touch me," he smirked.

The sun was blinding me. It must have been noon. I was so hungry.

"You can change now. Whenever you want," Derrick said.

"How do I, though?"

"Just channel your anger," he explained.

"How do you do that?"

"First you get angry…about anything really. Then you can feel yourself start to burst with rage. Just let it happen." He shoved me across the yard.

I went through a tree and hit the house. It worked. Rage took over my thoughts and I took off in full speed towards Derrick. I landed on all fours, growling. He did the same. Derrick clawed and snapped at me. I stared at the honey blonde wolf, trying to see what he wanted.

He jumped forward, tackling me to the ground. We wrestled back and forth, until I got a bite in. Derrick yelped and clawed my face. Then he disappeared into the garden. I followed him, sniffing the air. His scent stretched all over the garden. Finding him this way would be impossible.

Being a wolf made it really difficult to think. My mind was a lot different. I was set on one thing and one thing only. And that was to kill. Branches rustled behind me, I turned towards the sound and he got me from the back. We rolled through the bushes and I landed hard against the ground. We both laid there, now back in vampire form.

"You need a lot of practice," he commented.

I sighed and got up. Then I stretched my sore muscles and quickly found my clothes. Derrick didn't seem to care about his. My eyes never left his face.

"It won't hurt after awhile. Your body gets use to it. Come on, I bet lunch is ready." He disappeared towards the house.

"Victoria!" Emilie called from the deck, waving at me to join her.

I was up there in seconds. "What's up?"

"Olivia's coming over again later," she frowned.

"When is she coming?" I leaned against the deck and watched the trees blow back and forth.

"She will probably show around dinnertime." She brushed her long hair back into a ponytail with her fingers.

"What should I do?"

"Tell him how you feel," she shrugged. "Simple."

"No," I shook my head. "It's not that simple."

Emilie took my hand. "Let's talk about this after lunch, you'll feel better." She pulled me behind her all the way to the kitchen.

"Where is everyone?" I was surprised that no one was there.

"Oh," Emilie said. "They must have gone to stock up on blood."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Olivia likes to always have blood around. She makes toasts with it and such." Emilie rolled her eyes. "I guess we have to find lunch ourselves." She roamed around the much larger than normal fridge. Then she set out bread and ten different types of meat.

"I like variety," she said when she noticed my wide eyes. Emilie piled every type of meat and six different cheeses into one sandwich. She offered me a bite.

"I'm good," I chuckled. There was everything imaginable in the fridge. I had a difficult time picking something. I just grabbed an apple and walked into the living room to join Emilie.

She sat there, flipping through channel after channel. After about 500 channels, she gave up.

"There's nothing on," she sighed.

"You're too picky," I laughed. I took the remote and found something to watch immediately.

Xavier jumped in between us on the couch. He put his arm around me. "How was training?"

I smiled and leaned against his side. "It was pretty bad. I'm not very good at anything."

He kissed my forehead. "You will be."

Emilie stared at me with wide eyes, nodding her head towards him. Then she looked back at the TV when he glanced at her.

"You're ruining the secret," I whispered to him.

Xavier's eyes got wide. "On no," he uttered. Then he laughed. "Oh who cares Victoria? Emilie saw me leaving your room last night. No one else saw."

"What if they did?" I brushed my lips against his softly

"They would get over it," he smiled.

Emilie scoffed then quickly looked away. "Sorry just ignore me," she muttered.

Xavier playfully pushed her head back and then they laughed.

"I think you should at least try," I whispered to him.

He looked at me. "What?"

"You should just try to give your family a life," I repeated.

Xavier glared at me. "After we just…you want to…how can you…" he couldn't finish any sentences. He got up and stalked out of the room, the door slammed seconds later.

"I told you not to," Emilie turned off the TV and stared at me.

"I can't just take away their chance of happiness, Em. Not just for my own life to start." I curled up into the couch and stared at the brightly shinning sun. Car doors shut outside. Emilie stood and put her plate away. Then she sat back down.

"Olivia is here too," she sighed.

The door opened and then slammed shut again. Inside, I was very nervous and I didn't know why. Maybe it's just because I didn't like her.

"Everybody get ready," Anna called from the top of the stairs.

Emilie touched my arm. "I have a few more dresses that we haven't worn yet," she gestured to the stairs. After ten minutes of looking in her closet, she came out with two evening gowns.

"Maybe you should organize your closet," I suggested.

"Shut up," she laughed. "Which one do you want?" she asked, looking over the dresses.

"I'll have the black one I guess." I really didn't care, but I think I did look better in black.

She smiled. "Good. I wanted the purple."

We ran downstairs quickly and stopped short. The staircase and everything around it was covered in white lights. Red and white flowers also covered the room.

"Wow," Emilie exclaimed. "What's the occasion mom?"

Anna was rushing around the room, making sure all the decorations were perfect. Amelia was putting up the last of the lights in the corner of the room.

"It's a big day," Anna said excitedly.

I froze for a couple seconds. I knew exactly what was going on. How was I supposed to be here for this? No wonder I was so nervous.

"What is it?" Emilie narrowed her eyes at me.

"You'll see," I mumbled. I tried to hide my emotions. She stared at me confused as I walked to the couch and plopped myself down in it.

"Mother, is that all you needed me to do?" Amelia asked as she got down from the chair and put it away in a second.

"Yes, that's perfect." She looked around the room in awe. She then went to a mirror and situated her hair and dress.

They all were wearing some kind of gown, only Emilie and I were in evening dresses. Victor leaned against the fireplace. That seemed to be his usual spot. Amelia and Derrick were standing by the hall. Xavier was nowhere to be seen and I was a little grateful for that. The bell rang and Anna flitted to the door, pulling it open at once. Olivia stepped in, without her body guards for once. She bowed to us all.

She wore a much more revealing dress than normal. It was a very low v-neck with diamonds around the edges. The rest of it was white silk, which had a slit in the middle that went up to her thighs. It clung to her like a second skin. I held my breath waiting for it to be over.

"As you well know, I have an announcement to make." She looked at each one of us, actually showing some emotion on her face. "Well I mean we do," she amended. Olivia looked around. "Where is Xavier?"

Anna looked around too. "I have no idea where…"

"I'm here," Xavier said while walking down the stairs. His face showed no emotion, but he gave me a quick glare before he joined Olivia's side.

I laid my head in my hand and looked away from them. I could feel Emilie's eyes on me. How did she not see what was going on? It was obvious.

Olivia smiled and took him by the hand. "We have decided the sooner the better." She held out her hand.

I shouldn't have stayed here. I looked around for a quick exit. Emilie gasped next to me. On her hand stood the biggest diamond ring I had ever seen. I felt sick to my stomach.

"We're engaged!" Olivia beamed.


	7. Witches

_Chapter 7. _

_Witches_

Everyone cheered, mostly the women. I sat there frozen; although, I knew it was going to happen. This is what I wanted. I would find something else to do with my life and move on.

I paid no attention to Emilie's disgust with me. She could be mad all she wanted. I knew I did the right thing. The pain in my chest grew more pronounced and I clutched it, breathing hard. I closed my eyes and controlled myself. Then I turned and smiled at them.

This obviously wasn't the reaction Xavier was hoping for. He looked disappointed, but then he quickly changed his expression to a smile. Then he pulled Olivia tighter against him. Olivia smiled at him like she had just gotten her deepest desire.

"Congratulations you two," Anna hugged them.

Olivia shied away from her touch a little, but gave her a warm smile.

"When's the date?" Amelia asked excitedly.

"This Saturday," Olivia beamed. I had never seen her happy before. It looked like her fragile skin was about to rip.

"Why is everything so soon with you?" Derrick said surprised.

"We didn't want to wait any longer," she smiled up at Xavier, who smiled back. She did give Derrick a little glare for insulting her, though.

Anna frowned at him too, but she turned happy again quick. "We have so much to plan!" Anna exclaimed.

"Oh you don't have to worry about that," Olivia explained. "My mother has taken over everything."

Anna looked disappointed for a second, but then cheered right up again. "If you need anything just ask, okay." She smiled, giving them another hug.

"Okay," Olivia agreed.

The rest of the evening went by in a blur. I believe I stood by the cake for awhile. Then I was on the porch with everyone, and finally I ended up back on the couch. I stared at the fire, which was the first real thing I noticed.

Emilie handed me a glass of _blood_? I sniffed it. Yep it was blood. They all raised their glasses, _a toast_ I realized.

Each one of them said something nice about the couple and we all drank. I was very thankful that they skipped me. Emilie ended up saying something not quite as nice, but Olivia wasn't paying attention. We all took a sip of the blood. I swallowed the whole thing and licked the glass. Finally the party ended.

"Goodnight," Olivia said to everyone and kissed Xavier goodbye.

I relaxed and rubbed my temples. Was it possible for me to get a migraine? Emilie got up and flitted up the stairs. Amelia took her place.

"That was very kind of you, you know."

I turned to her in shock. She had never said more than two words to me.

"I know how you feel about him," she whispered. "I wouldn't have been able to do that. It was very brave of you."

I just stared at her like an idiot.

"Thank you," she smiled and then walked down the hall.

I thought she didn't like me. I guess she was just too busy to talk. I listened to them laugh in the living room. They all had wedding fever. I laid my head down on the arm of the couch, being careful not to wrinkle my dress. Someone touched my hair and I awoke with a gasp.

Emilie was sitting next to me. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think it would be comfortable for you to sleep in a dress." Her face was apologetic.

I didn't even realize I fell asleep. "No, I wasn't planning on sleeping. Thank you for waking me up," I mumbled.

"Let's get you to bed. It's been a long day." Emilie helped me up.

I followed her to her room, where she had me put her dress back in the closet. She tossed me a silk dress she wore to bed, so I didn't have to go all the way back to my room. I sat on her bed. It was hard to keep my eyelids open.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Emilie murmured.

"I do," I lied.

I had no idea what was wrong with me. Why couldn't I just tell him to forget Olivia and stay with me? It was beyond too late now.

"Since you did a good deed for someone else maybe something good will happen for you," she smiled.

"I hope so," I mumbled, lying down on the bed.

"I'll take you somewhere tomorrow to take your mind of it." She hopped into the bed next to me. "We should probably sneak out again just in case."

My eyes snapped open. "What are you planning now?" Everything fun that she has ever planned has gotten us into trouble. "Are we getting some convicts out of prison?"

She looked innocently at me. "No we aren't doing anything. Just some girl bonding time, I promise."

I stared at her for awhile, not trusting her one bit. I wanted to ask more, but my eyes never came back open.

"Goodnight Victoria," Emilie chuckled.

Roses were everywhere. I wasn't quite sure where I was. The room smelt like fresh apple cider, I breathed it in and smiled. Then I looked down.

I was wearing a small pink dress with white gloves. I wasn't very partial to pink. People suddenly appeared behind me and I looked around nervously. A alter appeared before me and a figure was standing under it.

Xavier stood in front of me. He wore a tuxedo and was looking at me in awe. I smiled at him and started to walk forward. Everyone was looking behind me, they were all grinning. I turned and saw Olivia in a beautiful white dress.

A veil covered her face. She handed me her flowers and took Xavier's hand. Then they walked up to the center stage. I stood there motionless, holding the flowers. Red rose petals blew all around them as he slipped a ring onto her finger. Emilie stood next to her, in the same pink dress as me. She smiled warmly as she handed her his ring.

Olivia slid it onto his finger and they held hands once again. I yelled at him, however; he never looked up at me. No one did. Xavier's perfect lips mouthed I do, and then Olivia said the same. The preacher announced them man and wife. I watched in horror as they pressed their lips together.

I woke up with my pillow wet with tears. Emilie was not in the room, thank god. I didn't want her to see me like this. I found something to wear in her massive closet that didn't look too expensive, and then ran down stairs. Amelia sat at the dining room table with a cup of orange juice. She didn't appear to be drinking any of it.

"Hey, where is Emilie?" I whispered.

She didn't look up at me for a long moment, and then she turned. "She went into town with mother."

"Oh," I sat next to her.

Amelia's clothes were stained in blood. She must have been in the dungeon recently.

"Derrick had a few errands to do. He left me in charge of your training." She traced her finger around the top of her cup.

I blinked. "Oh, when did you want to do that?"

"Whenever you're ready," she said blankly. Amelia pulled her curly hair into a ponytail.

"I'm ready now," I mumbled nervously. That was probably a lie.

"Come on then." She walked gracefully out the French doors and onto the patio.

I followed her, trying to get all the nerves off of me.

"Sit." She pointed to the chair across from her.

I sat down slowly, my eyes never leaving hers.

"So you have a problem with changing back and forth," she said. It wasn't a question.

I nodded, unsure of what else I could say.

"I can help you with that. Derrick may be excellent with fighting and strength, but I have the brain," she laughed while pointing to her head.

I relaxed a little and smiled at her. I think the last time I heard her laugh it was at my expense. It was nice not to be the center of mockery for once.

"Let's just sit here awhile and relax. Watch the leaves fall or the sun rise. I don't care what you do."

I leaned back in my chair and did what she asked. Amelia closed her eyes and became very still. I watched as the wind blew her hair around her face. A lot of it tumbled out of her ponytail.

The sun peeked out of the clouds, so I closed my eyes and let it soak into my skin. It was hard not to see Xavier with my eyes shut. I tried to block him out anyway. I was supposed to relax myself. I should have known that it would be impossible. After a few long moments passed Amelia spoke, startling me.

"Okay, it's time." She opened her eyes.

I blinked and she was gone. Amelia stood by the garden where Derrick had ended the last lesson. All of the leaves on the trees were now on the ground, though. Nothing looked like it had the day before. It was a shock how things could change so much after a day or two.

"I want you to change into a wolf without me making you." She placed her hands behind her back and waited.

"I can't," I shook my head sadly.

"Yes you can," she said simply.

Xavier and Olivia together was the only thing I could think of. It had been on my mind since she showed up. I could cheerfully beat her to death or back to death. I pictured her in my mind and it made my teeth grind.

I clenched my hands together so tight that they bled. And then I thought of my dream. I imagined them kissing and looking lovingly into each other's eyes. I couldn't bear to think of the honeymoon. It seemed like it was working. I had never been angrier in my life, and mostly at myself.

I suddenly hunched over in pain and then started to howl. It was painful, but not as bad as the first time. The pain was the only thing I remembered from the first time. I never wanted to experience it again. A surge went through my body and I was on all fours before I could blink.

Amelia smiled. "I told you so." She closed her eyes as she slowly formed into a wolf herself. Her fur was a beautiful shade of dark red. It looked like velvet.

I was very jealous for a long moment. I didn't move in case the desire to kill made itself known. I would hate to attack someone over jealousy. Amelia glared at me. Then she started to circle around me with her head held low. I crouched down defensively and growled. I guess a fight was unavoidable.

Amelia didn't growl at me or attack. She ran off into the trees of the garden. She nodded her head once in the direction she was going. I ran towards her. I thought that was what she wanted, anyway.

I was much faster than the first time I ran. I caught up to Amelia immediately. She leapt over the bushes, and dashed around the house in a second. I could never be that fast, though.

I followed her again. Hopefully, I did it in the same amount of time. When I got around the house, she was gone. I heard howling above me and I looked up. She knocked me to the ground. I spent too much time on the ground during these lessons. I flipped back up and chased after her once again.

Amelia did a short howl and ran in between each one of the vehicles. I followed very carefully. They'd kill me if something happened to the cars. When I turned the corner, I stopped. Amelia stood before me on two legs.

"Now you turn back," she ordered.

I stared at her for at least a minute. How was I supposed to change back? Amelia stood there with her arms crossed, glaring at me. It occurred to me that Amelia didn't make me relax earlier for nothing.

I relaxed my body and breathed in and out slowly. I thought of the trees blowing and the sun warming my skin. I opened my eyes and I was the same height as her. I then looked down at my hands and smiled.

"I did it."

Amelia stepped closer to me. "See it's not that hard. You just have to practice." Amelia made me do the same thing over and over. I was allowed to stop when Emilie and the rest of them returned. I had just turned into a vampire again when they pulled in.

"Good job. Derrick will teach you some tougher things tomorrow." Amelia told me and ran over to Anna to help carry in the bags, (after we got dressed of course).

"Viccctorrria," Emilie sang my name and flitted over to me. "Are you ready to have some fun?" she grinned and pulled me into the house.

"What are we going to do?" I asked while plopping down on her bed.

"Well there are a lot of costume parties tonight," Emilie smiled.

"So?" I asked, confused.

"So we are feeding tonight, but we're going to make it a little more fun than normal."

"It's always fun," I chuckled. Whether I liked killing people or not my vampire instinct always thought it was fun.

"Oh, it will be much more fun tonight." She gave me a dark smile. "Bad things tend to happen at parties," she murmured.

"So?"

"So maybe we could stop by, flirt a little and eat a little…," she laughed. Emilie dropped all her bags on the bed and pulled out a couple costumes, along with tons of accessories.

"We're dressing up?" I asked all excited.

"Yep, go try it on." She shoved me towards her closet.

I held out the costume in front of me. I wasn't sure if I would really look good in it, but Emilie's taste had never let me down before. I slid it on. It was an extremely tight fit. And actually, it didn't look too bad. I turned side to side in the mirror. The outfit reminded me a little of lingerie.

The top part looked like a purple corset. Then the bottom was a black and purple skirt with a jagged bottom. I put on the black hat and it worked perfectly. I needed to fix my hair and makeup, though. I walked out and Emilie already had hers on. She spun around in the mirror, admiring herself.

She turned towards me. Her costume was blue/green and black with long sleeves that hung down. The top was a corset like me, but had a puffier skirt and lace hanging down. The hat matched it well.

"So what is your plan? Are we going to cast spells on people?" I chuckled.

"Well close, but not exactly," Emilie laughed while curling a strand of hair.

I took the curler from her for a minute and curled the bottoms of my hair. Then I went to the vanity to put on dark makeup.

"Why are there a lot of costume parties tonight?" I asked curiously.

"You know graduation and things like that," Emilie murmured, distracted.

"How do you know about them?"

"Do you not trust me?" Emilie turned her head to the side.

"Of course I do!" I exclaimed. "I am just curious."

"I overheard some girl gossiping about it in the mall today. I thought it would be a fun opportunity for tonight." Emilie glared at me skeptically.

"Oh okay," I said at once.

"Nice," Emilie commented on my makeup. She repeated my makeup on herself then tossed me a purple pendant. "Put that on," she pointed at me. She wore a slightly different pedant, only it was the colors of her costume.

"Don't we need brooms," I muttered sarcastically.

"Not unless you want to bring one. I personally think it would be annoying to carry around," Emilie said absentmindedly.

I picked out two black pairs of heels. I gave her the better looking ones, in case she complained.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Are we allowed to go?" I asked, worried.

"Yes actually this time we are," she smiled.

"What about dinner?" I wondered as we walked down the stairs.

"I'm sure they will have plenty of food at the parties." She turned to wink at me.

"Have fun you two—" Anna called from the kitchen.

"We will!" Emilie yelled back.

I was pulled all the way to the hybrid. She was very excited. I barely sat down in my seat before she pulled quickly out of the driveway.

"Emilie!" I yelled.

"I'm sorry. I want to get there right when night falls and besides it's not like you would have died." Emilie gave me a small smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Do I even want to know what you're planning?"

Emilie laughed. "Probably not. I am certain you will enjoy yourself, though."

"Okay, I'm trusting you." I looked in the mirror and tried to make my hair look better.

"Your hair looks just fine." Emilie rolled her eyes. "Quit touching it." She pulled my hand away and closed the mirror.

"Fine," I sighed and watched the sun disappeared behind the hills. We were already deep in the city. Emilie drove way over the required speed limit. "What's in the bag?" I asked when I noticed she had one clutched in her hand.

"Supplies and effects…that kind of thing," she replied.

"Where is the first house we're going to?" I asked curiously.

"It's coming up here pretty soon." She pointed down the street. Emilie turned the headlights off and parked a little farther away than a normal person would. "Hungry?" she asked, and then chuckled.

"A little," I admitted.

Emilie hopped out of the car and practically ran to the front door. I locked the car for her as she hid her bag in her sleeve. I was there right when she opened the door. It was dark, despite the lights that flashed everywhere. Loud music echoed through the halls and it was so crowded that you had to shove people to get through. They had the really cheap decorations everywhere and I frowned in distaste.

Emilie was searching everywhere, like she knew someone here. I watched her shove through random groups of people, checking every room in the house. When we finished searching the down stairs, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Who are you looking for?"

"Someone to play with," she giggled.

"We aren't going to—" I trailed of suggestively.

"No, of course not!" she snapped. She pulled me by the arm up the stairs. "We're going this way."

A guy was walking quietly out of the bedroom.

"Jackpot," Emilie murmured, (I think mostly to her self). She slowly walked over to him. "Excuse me."

He turned and smiled at her. Ew, why did she choose him? I thought she would at least pick someone cute for whatever she was planning.

"Emilie." I hissed under my breath. I knew he wouldn't hear. "Can't we choose someone else?"

She shook her head. "No."

I made a face. No way was I touching this guy. He looked like he hadn't bathed in months. He smelt like it too. The guy didn't seem to really be in a costume.

That was weird because everyone else was. I turned away when she started to press herself against him. Someone else came out of the bedroom and Emilie motioned to him. At least he was better looking. I took a deep breath and pulled my top down a little.

"Hello," I smiled at him.

His eyes widened in surprise."Hello," he stuttered.

Emilie had gone into another room. I should probably follow her. I didn't want to do this alone. Especially, when I didn't know what I was doing.

"Why don't you come with me?" I traced my finger down his chest. And then I pulled him by the shirt. I followed Emilie into the same room. The guy had put his hands a little lower than a gentleman would have.

He was covered in piercings' and tattoos. If I were human I'd be terrified of him. Emilie had the ugly guy on the bed.

I didn't want to know what she was doing.

The tattooed guy leaned down and kissed me. I kissed him back for a few minutes till the guy behind me started to scream. He pushed my face away rudely.

He turned to his friend and cussed. "What's the matter?"

Blood soaked through the sheet and half of the ugly guy's body. The tattooed guy yelled and jumped away, reaching for the door knob.

"Grab him," Emilie sat up, blood dripped from her mouth.

Right before he got to the door, I gripped his neck and slammed him on the bed. Emilie straddled him and looked deep into his eyes.

"There is nothing to be afraid of," she whispered. "Everything is fine."

They really needed to teach me this mind control thing.

He nodded and smiled at her.

She patted the side of his face and gave him an arrogant smile. "Good, now go tell everyone down stairs that witches killed your friend."

The guy got up and ran down stairs screaming his head off. "Help, somebody help me!"

"Let's go," Emilie drug me out the window with her.

"What was the point of that?" I yelled as she ran me back to the car.

"I'll explain later," she jumped into the car and raced down the street.

"Is it later?" I muttered.

"Yes," she sighed.

"People are starting to suspect our family. I had to take their attention away from us and I wanted to have fun at the same time." Emilie turned a corner so sharp that I thought the car would flip.

"They think we're the ones killing people?"

Emilie nodded. "It is because we're so secretive and keep to ourselves."

"Where are we going now?"

"Another party," she replied. She checked the mirror to make sure her hair was still decent. Blood only got on her mouth, she was happy about that. "We're doing it a little different this time." She grinned at me.

The next house was almost as big as ours. There were people dancing in the front yard. It looked like even more people were in the back. They must have a pool.

"Hurry," Emilie walked quickly to the door. I guess she didn't want to look suspicious. We walked into a cluster of other witches.

"That will be very helpful," Emilie muttered to me.

They stared at us as we walked by, and once again Emilie ran up the stairs.

"I know there's one here." She opened every room in the hallway.

"What are you looking for?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Another person that deserves to die," Emilie replied. She moved her head to the side and opened the last door.

"Oh you're still only killing bad people."

"Yes Victoria. That's what we do." Her tone added the obviously. "In here," she pointed and held her finger to her lips.

A couple of guys were in there. One stood in front of the sink and the other was putting things into a bag. The guy in the bathroom saw us and got out fast, shutting the door behind him. That was not before I saw the red stained sink, though.

"What do you want?" The other guy hid his bag behind his back and glared at us.

Emilie stepped forward, pulling something out of her bag. She tossed in on the ground in front of them. It exploded and mist filled the room. The two guys coughed and cussed. I heard things crash against the floor. I was still able to see everything, even with the room flooded with thick fog. Emilie was digging in her bag again and one of the guys had found their bag.

He took a gun out of the bag. How was she able to find the bad ones? Emilie finally pulled something out and threw it on the men. They yelled and threw themselves against the wall, causing books to fall.

"What'd you do?" I stared in horror.

"It is just something that makes you hallucinate," Emilie smirked than smeared fake blood on her face.

She was really going all out on this. I should join in. I took her bag of blood, dipped my fingers in, and ran them down my face. As the mist cleared, one of the men ran backwards and fell over the bed. The other started to throw heavy things at us. Behind the bed, gun shots were fired.

Emilie looked towards the door with wide eyes. "Someone will hear that." She locked the door and tackled the man holding the gun.

The other guy turned towards the window, desperately trying to yank it open. When it didn't budge, he sank to the ground in terror. I walked forward with a smile on my face, and for fun I started to chant ridiculous things.

His panic grew more pronounced as I stepped closer. I raised my blood soaked hand forward, and a grin spread across my face. He scooted away, heading towards the bathroom. I flitted in front of him and knocked him down. Emilie tossed the guy with the gun's body on the floor. His friend stared at it in horror.

"Why are you doing this?" he yelled.

Emilie kneeled in front of him. "Why not?" she grinned.

He screamed for help.

She stole my idea and started to chant. I laughed and joined in. We both stood in front of him, holding hands with our eyes shut. He had curled up into a fetal position with his eyes shut. I sunk my teeth into his neck as he screamed. I did not drink him dry, but he was a little weak afterwards.

Emilie was right. I had never had a better night of feeding. I would have to thank her somehow for this. It was the most fun I had had in years.

Emilie scratched him across the face and down his chest. He winced and tried yelling again. No one would hear him. The music was shaking the windows and some of the walls. The gun shot was another story, however; no one had come to investigate yet.

She gripped the man's throat and leaned in close to his face. "Tell them the witches are back."

He sat there, shaking in terror with his wide eyes.

"Let's get out of here," she muttered. She opened the window with ease and we jumped off the ledge.

When we jumped to the ground we could hear the guy screaming for help. We both giggled as we ran back to the car. I sat back against the car seat, excitement rushing through my veins. Emilie pulled away right as the screams started.

"Wow that was fun. Good idea with the chanting by the way," Emilie complimented.

"Who did they kill?" I asked curiously.

"No idea," she shrugged. "They were definitely robbing the place, though. Maybe someone caught them."

"It's possible," I chuckled again. "Are we going anywhere else?"

"It's getting pretty late and the cops will be looking for murdering witches," she smiled.

"That's true," I sighed.

She smiled. "We could go for a midnight run, if you want. Not till we get closer to home, of course."

A run at this hour? That sounded pretty fun. "Could we as wolves?"

"Of course," Emilie smiled. She drove for maybe a couple minutes before she decided to park the car along the ditch. Emilie flew out of her seat and transformed into a wolf in the same second.

I laughed and ran after her. I tried to remember what Amelia taught me. When I did, I caught up with Emilie easily. Good, it still worked. I sat down next to the light brown wolf and stared up at the moon. Clouds slowly moved across the moon, which made it look extremely creepy. Its orange glow fell on us and made Emilie's green eyes bright yellow.

While staring up at it, I felt adrenaline pulse through my body. Emilie turned to me for a fraction of a second, and then dashed through the shrubbery. I howled with excitement as I caught up with her. Emilie howled, and then started to dash between trees like Amelia had earlier.

Like Amelia, I was able to keep up with Emilie as well. It felt good to feel the ground beneath my paws, and the scent of the pine trees in my nose. Emilie climbed a tree and jumped across a stream. I tried to do the same, but my back legs landed in the water. I needed more practice with that. Emilie growled a little, (I think she might have been laughing). I jumped on her back and knocked her to the ground.

She tossed me off with her back legs and twisted up, growling at me. I got down on my front paws. My muzzle curled up, exposing my teeth. Emilie slowly stepped closer to me. Then she suddenly turned, and ran in the opposite direction. The stream turned into a river and she jumped off one of the rocks along the side of it. Water drenched me, so I shook until I was dry enough to be comfortable.

Emilie emerged from the water laughing. "Come in." She curled her fingers towards me to join her.

I relaxed and ran swiftly towards the water. When I hit the surface, I felt myself transform. I flipped my hair back and splashed her. She laughed again and splashed me back.

Emilie dove underwater, pulling me under with her. Even though it was dark out, I could see everything below the water. I laughed and swam up to the side of the riverbank. Emilie sat next to me and leaned against my side.

"This is the best night I've ever had." She whispered.

"Me too," I smiled, laying my head on hers.

The moon glared against my skin. "I'm so pale," I complained while staring at my whiter than white legs.

"You think you're  
pale, look at Olivia," Emilie smirked.

"True," I laughed, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach that happened whenever she was mentioned.

"He was so mad at you," Emilie commented.

"I know." I frowned then pushed her into the water. "Where are the clothes at?" I asked, looking around.

"Where we first changed I guess." She shrugged and pulled me in with her. We started splashing and screaming again. Once the water fight was over, Emilie floated on her back and stared at the sky again.

"I wish it could always be like this." Emilie sighed and closed her eyes.

I stared up at the full moon. The water made a calming sound that made me sleepy. An owl flew over me and hooted very creepily.

"That'd be nice," I smiled. The only thing missing was Xavier floating next to me. I looked at the empty spot next to me with a frown.

"What's wrong?" Emilie murmured.

"Nothing Em," I whispered. I had done this to myself and I had to deal with the consequences. I looked up to the moon. I almost thought I saw a witch fly across it. I chuckled out loud at my stupidity. Then I closed my eyes and let the water cascade over me.


	8. The Wedding

_Chapter 8._

_ The wedding_

It was Saturday. I had been dreading this day all week. I was lying in my bed, not willing to move. I could hear everyone running around and getting ready. I knew Emilie would be walking in at any minute to make me get dressed.

The past few days were the best of my life. Xavier was at the house, so Emilie had forced him to take us out. Also, there was no Olivia all two days. I was excited when I heard that news, before she even told me where we were going. Xavier had taken us swimming at an indoor water park and it had never been more thrilling.

Anyway, I was in desperate need of a shower. I sighed and crawled out of bed. Then I hopped in the tub before I was forced to get ready. I stayed in there a lot longer than I attended to. The hot water relaxed my muscles. There was a few taps at my door and I sighed.

"I knew it," I groaned, wrapped a towel around me, and opened the door.

"You knew it huh," Emilie smiled at me.

"Yes, you always do this." I rolled my eyes.

"Well I am not that patient and you always take forever to get ready." She scowled at me.

"I'm not patient either, but I don't take very long at all!" I snapped.

"Okay whatever you say." Emilie muttered sarcastically.

I stared at her hair. She usually never did much to it, but today it was tightly curled. It looked much better on her than it ever did on me.

"When is the thing?" I asked. I couldn't make myself say the word.

"Around noon," she sighed and sat on the crème colored chair in the corner. "Mom ...er Anna wants all of us to look elegant and rich." She made a slight face.

"I'm use to that," I mumbled, picking up a dress. She must have tossed it onto the bed when I wasn't looking.

"How do you want your hair?" she asked me with her eyes shut.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen the dress," I replied.

"Then look at it!" She snapped, annoyed.

"Is something wrong?" I narrowed my eyes at Emilie, staring at her face.

She showed no emotion. "It's nothing," she blew it off.

I didn't buy it, but I had a lot to do. I slid the dress out of the cloth and moaned. "Yeah that figures."

"What?" Emilie stared at me weird.

"Nothing, it's just a little ironic. Don't worry about it," I said quickly.

Emilie stared at the window. She was still wearing her bathrobe, (very uncharacteristic for her). What was wrong with her?

"Thank you," I smiled a little.

"You're welcome," she whispered without looking away from the window.

I glanced outside for a brief moment and noticed the first snow. It fell like huge puffs of cotton balls. I walked towards the window and sat on the edge of it. Trees were covered in white frost and shimmered when the light touched it. I had blanked out for awhile there, till Emilie cleared her throat and brought me back to reality.

"Sorry," I said quickly and pulled the dress on that I really didn't want to wear. I chose light makeup since it wasn't a funeral. No matter how much I wished it was. To be honest, I was tired of putting my hair up so I left it down. I added the diamond barrettes Emilie gave me and my hair looked like I had spent hours on it.

"Okay," I said, while grabbing my silk white shawl. "I'm ready."

Emilie told me to go downstairs with everyone else and she'd join me later. I watched her walk slowly to her room. Was she depressed? I decided not to worry about it for now and I stepped slowly down the stairs. Amelia and Derrick were waiting patiently by the door.

I stared with my mouth open at Amelia's tight olive green dress. I quickly snapped it shut when she looked at me. Derrick laughed and told me I looked lovely, (it must have been hard for him to say it). She always looked better than anyone else.

Amelia was probably neck and neck with Olivia. However, Olivia was prettier. Thinking of her name made me cringe, and sadness swept through me. I need to stop doing that. Victor came down the stairs fast. They were running late I realized while looking at the clock.

Victor and Derrick wore the same typical white and black tux. I could tell neither of them really wanted to go. I didn't either. Victor was frowning and staring at the fireplace. Derrick was playing some type of sports game on his phone.

"Is everyone ready?" Anna called from the basement.

"Yes," Victor yelled back to her.

I had forgotten all about the basement. Where is the door to get in there? I listened to Anna shuffle around down there, and then she suddenly appeared upstairs. The door to the basement is upstairs? I stared at her with a strange look on my face and she gave me a concerned one.

"Are you alright dear?" she asked.

I shook my head and smiled, nodding. "I'm fine."

She patted my shoulder and yelled for Emilie.

Emilie was next to me in the same second. "I'm ready," she said emotionlessly.

Anna beamed. "Okay, let's get going."

Victor held the door open for all of us, and then they headed towards the Ferrari. They argued about meaningless things all the way to the car.

"We're taking the hybrid." Emilie turned to me.

I didn't have a problem with that. I could be myself more with Emilie. I didn't have to hide my anxiety and despair. Emilie might have the same problem.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong Em?" I looked into her lifeless eyes. They looked a lot less green than before.

"No. I'm fine," she widened her eyes. "I swear."

"Where is the thing going to be?" I asked when she pulled out of the driveway and continued behind her parents.

"The King and Queen own this church on the other side of town...well they call it a church, but it's one of their safe houses," Emilie answered.

"Oh," I whispered. That was all I could think of to say. Anna and Victor drove much slower than all of the others. They drove like humans. Anna must have wanted to be normal really bad. "Do they always drive this slowly?" I asked.

"Yes," she scowled. "Anna would be very upset if she knew all the rest of us drove over a hundred."

I figured as much. I stared at the snow that was now starting to stick to the ground. "She wants you all to be human," I noted.

"Exactly," Emilie frowned.

"That's impossible," I shook my head.

"Yep," Emilie said.

The snow had gotten so bad she had to turn the windshield wiper on full speed. Absolutely no one was on the streets this day. And I didn't blame them. A normal person would get frost bite immediately out here. We didn't even have the heater turned on in the car.

"It is inside the church right?" I asked nervously.

"Yes." Emilie smiled.

There was finally some emotion from her. I was starting to worry.

Fog moved through the streets quick. Luckily, we weren't human or we'd have to stop the car. There were many parked cars all over the streets, waiting for it to dissipate. Forty minutes later, we arrived at St. Reneflause. I rolled my eyes, could it be any more ridiculous? I stepped out and stared at the tan bricks that surrounded the beautiful stained glass windows. It looked like something out of an old painting.

"We're late," Emilie hissed at me and took my hand. She was finally starting to act like her old self.

Emilie ran with me into the church. It was decorated darkly, more like for a funeral than for a thing. (I still refused to say the word). We went down a long hall that was also black and red. I didn't feel very welcome here at all.

"We should have worn black," I whispered at Emilie.

She laughed and agreed.

We entered the main part of the church, but it didn't really look any different. The blood red curtains, and other decor hung over the walls and ceiling. The walls themselves looked black. The alter was in the usual place, in front of all the pews. It was made out of cherry wood, so it complimented the dark interior well. The only light was glass skylights on the ceiling and candles along the aisles.

"This is weird," I whispered into Emilie's ear.

She nodded and continued walking, looking for a place to sit.

We sat in the back, away from all the vampire's we didn't know. Unfortunately, four of them, who were sitting in front stood and walked towards us.

"Be as polite as possible," Emilie hissed in my ear.

That didn't help my nerves one bit. The first two walked hand in hand, both of them had pale blonde hair. The woman's hair was pin straight, and down to her waist. The man's was to his chin.

The two men behind them had the same hair color, but one was cropped short and the other was normal length. All of them were extremely beautiful, more so than any vampire here. They stopped in front of us, smiling. Then the man held out his hand. I accepted it nervously.

"I am Charles, this is my wife Penelope." He gestured to the beautiful blonde woman next to him.

I shook her hand after he let go of mine. Then the men behind them just nodded at us.

"These are our sons, Vladimir and Nicholas," Charles said graciously.

"It's very nice to meet you all." Emilie smiled, shaking their hands after I finished.

"I am presuming you are the groom's family," Penelope smiled. Her voice was the most beautiful voice I've ever heard.

"Yes." Emilie replied. "We are his sisters," she added.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry I haven't asked your names," Charles looked appalled at himself.

"It's okay." I smiled.

"I am Victoria and this is Emilie." I figured I better talk or else I'd seem rude to them.

"Where are your parents?" Charles was looking around. "We haven't had the honor of meeting them yet."

"They should be coming in any second." Just as she spoke the words they entered. "Oh," Emilie uttered. Then she hurried over to her parents and introduced them.

I sat there, making myself relax again. I hoped you couldn't turn when you're under a lot of stress. I watched one of the flames of the candles flicker from left to right. I jumped when Emilie touched my shoulder.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I got rid of them," she smiled.

I looked over and Anna was talking to them. She didn't look like she was going to stop anytime soon. We both sat again and leaned against the seats, utterly bored. I stared at my white gloves. Ironically, Emilie and I were both in pink dresses. Just like in my dream...or nightmare I mean.

Victor, Anna and the rest of them chose the very first row. (Anna was still talking to the Reneflauses). I'm guessing Emilie was sitting by me, so I wouldn't be alone. Xavier was not at the alter. No one knew where he was. Some of them guessed that he got cold feet.

They were whispering amongst themselves occasionally. Amelia was starting to look around, already worried. Emilie still seemed a little cold and distant. Why wouldn't she talk to me about it? Was she mad at me? I looked around me at all the elegant dressed vampires.

They were emotionless; if they were worried I sure couldn't tell. They looked just like Olivia, very strict and rich. I was surprised that her mother was much more beautiful than her. I didn't think that was possible. She must be jealous of her, I would be. Emilie stared straight ahead looking at nothing.

"He's not going to show up," she whispered.

I stared at her in shock. "Don't say that!" I hissed.

"It's true." She said, staring straight ahead. "I know he won't," she whispered confidently.

"How…how do you know?" I asked angrily.

"I just have a feeling," she glanced at me, and then turned away again.

Is this what she's been keeping from me? "What did you do?" I glared at her.

She ignored me for a few minutes. Just when I started to glare at her, she answered me.

"I didn't do anything." She looked up at the glass ceiling.

Yeah right. "How come I'm not buying that?" I narrowed my eyes at her, waiting for her to slip up and just tell me the truth.

"I guess you have trust issues," she mumbled, not looking away from the grey clouds.

I growled and sunk into my seat, staring up at the sky. The snow still hadn't ceased. I gave up. She wouldn't tell me anything till it was time, unless something serious happened.

I saw Anna looking around nervously. The Reneflauses were in the opposite row and they now looked worried too. Even though their faces showed concern, there was not one wrinkle on them. They were perfect. I stared at them with jealously seeping through me.

"Emilie?" I whispered, making a pleading pout.

"No Victoria," she groaned.

"Please Em tell me what you know," I begged.

"It's not going to happen Victoria. Everyone in here isn't human and they have really good hearing," she whispered. Besides I promised not to," she added.

I scoffed then folded my arms across my chest. Then I sank deeper into my seat. Derrick got up out of his seat and walked down towards us.

"Have you guys heard anything from Xavier?" he asked.

We both shook our heads. I faked a concerned look, but rejoiced on the inside.

"Anna wanted me to check with you guys," he sighed and returned to his seat.

Charles and Penelope were starting to look angry now, though it had only been half an hour. I thought vampires were supposed to be very patient. I was wrong. All the vampires on the right side of us started talking a lot more than they were. Even the ones on our side started in on it.

(They had to put Olivia's side on ours since it was only the six of us). They were all gossiping like old women. Only rich people were much snottier about such things. The vampires were saying that maybe he had an affair and chose the other woman. Even that he ran away or got ripped apart by wolves.

That last one made me laugh. They had quite the imagination. I was still sure Emilie knew the truth. She looked at me apologetically

"I'll tell you what to do later," she muttered.

I hated when she did that. She never could give me a straight answer when something serious was happening. I stared at the tan brick walls and decided to count them. If I didn't, I was afraid that I might turn into a wolf. I didn't even get half the wall done before I was interrupted.

"Olivia's coming out Victoria," Emilie whispered.

I turned towards her in surprise. She walked down the aisle fast in her extravagant wedding dress. She was furious. Who could blame her?

I would be if my fiancé didn't show up. Yet, I did not feel any sympathy towards her. I enjoyed her misery. I'm sure Emilie was staring at me strangely as I laid back to watch the show.

Olivia was talking very loudly with her parents. I couldn't understand her with all the sobbing, and how fast she was talking. None of them looked happy, though.

Except for me of course, I was happier than I had been all day.

Amelia turned and looked accusingly at me. I stopped smiling and looked at Emilie. "What's going to happen?"

"No telling," she muttered. "They could start yelling or maybe there will be a fight, which we would lose. We are outnumbered."

Olivia complained and sobbed to her parents for another half hour, and then Charles stepped onto the alter.

"This wedding is cancelled until further notice," his voice was gruff, yet formal.

"Time to go," Emilie said in a hushed voice.

We flitted back to the hybrid. She had to brush at least half a foot of snow off of it first. She pulled out carefully, but as fast as she could.

"What's going on?" I asked as we drove down the street. We slid a couple times, but Emilie controlled it well.

"Xavier told me he wasn't going, and not to tell you." She rushed through her words. "I'm suppose to take you somewhere at a specific time and make sure you are ready to go."

I blinked and was frozen for a moment. "Where are you supposed to take me?"

Emilie shrugged. "Xavier hasn't called to tell me where yet. We're going home now."

"Why would he do this?" I whispered to myself.

"He loves you Victoria," her tone added the obviously.

"They will be so mad." I dug my nails into my palms nervously.

"Yes," Emilie agreed. "But don't worry we can take care of ourselves, and you will be with Xavier. So you have nothing to worry about."

"Where is he taking me?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Away," she replied.

"You couldn't share this plan with me why?" I was very hurt. "So I never get to see you or any of the others again?"

Emilie's lifeless look came back in her eyes. "Not for a long time."

That's what was wrong with her.

"Calm down, you'll turn into a wolf," Emilie said, emotion thick in her voice. "We will see each other again," she whispered through her now watery eyes.

I stared at her face, locking it into my memory. Who knows when we would meet again? "I'll miss you." I could feel my eyes starting to mist.

"I'll miss you too." Emilie could barely get the words out.

The mansion was closing in, and I spotted an unfamiliar car sitting beside it. "Whose car is that?" I stared, trying to figure out what type of car it was.

Emilie composed herself. "We have to take it to where Xavier's meeting us," Emilie sniffed.

I touched her shoulder. I knew we would see each other again. Forever is a long time to wander the earth.

"Let's get everything," she muttered and walked very slowly to the front door. "I packed your things already," she said, still wiping her eyes.

My eyes started to build up with water again. She tossed me a bag, distracting me.

"That's what I packed. I just need to grab a few more things," she flitted upstairs.

I walked around the room. Then I memorized the stairs, fireplace, and couches. I touched the red wood of the stairs and pushed back my tears. I was going to miss this place. I went down the hall, and stared at the beautiful living room.

I wish I went in these places more. When Emilie came back with another bag, I was in my room sitting on the bay window. She sat next to me and we stared at the now light falling snow. I wasn't sure how long we sat there, but after a while Emilie's phone rang.

"It's Xavier," she mouthed and answered it.

I sat up, and leaned in to hear what she was saying.

"Yes, I did everything. Why there? Oh I see. Alright then see you in a bit." Emilie threw the bag over her shoulder. "We need to leave now. They've started the search."

"You mean the vampires?" My eyes went wide.

"Yes." She flitted to the door. "Grab that coat so you look normal." She pointed to the coat closet.

I grabbed the only one in there. I was glad it was a girl's coat. I probably should have changed out of the pink dress as well.

Emilie saw me staring at the dress. "There's no time." She held my door open to the black car, which I had never seen before.

I threw my bag in the back, just as Emilie threw the one she carried. She sped out of the grass. I didn't think she'd be able to go that fast in the snow.

"How did we not end up in the ditch?" I laughed nervously.

"There are chains on the tires," she said.

"Oh," I fiddled with my fingers. "Where are we meeting him?"

"Somewhere close to here," she whispered sadly.

This was the last moment I would get with her, she obviously knew it too. "We'll see each other again," I promised.

"I know," she sighed. "It will be hard, though." She hung her head down sadly.

I nodded, staring at her face. "We can do it. I know we can." I half smiled at her.

"It's for the happiness of my brother and my best friend," she smiled back at me. "I couldn't do it otherwise."

It seemed like only a few short minutes before we arrived where we were apparently suppose to be. The place looked very familiar, although; I couldn't put my finger on where I'd see it before. Trees and shrubs were everywhere, but they were now covered in snow. So I wasn't quite able to tell where we were.

"What is this place?" I asked, confused.

"You don't recognize it," she laughed. "We were just here last night."

I blinked and stared ahead of me. The small open field and the stream leading up to the river, I finally recognized.

"It looks so different," I murmured to myself.

I stepped out of the car and walked through the snow to the stream. It was ice now. Was I able to walk on it? I turned towards Emilie who already had her heels off and was sliding down the river. I laughed and kicked mine off to chase her down the ice. It was amazing how well this worked; if I was human my feet would be in flames.

Emilie did an almost figure eight. It's a little sloppy without ice skates. I chuckled and applauded her sarcastically. She took my hands and we spun around in circles. When she let go, we landed hard against the ice. A few pieces cracked beneath me.

"Uh oh," Emilie laughed and pulled me to my feet.

"I think it's still okay," I said while examining the ice.

"For now," she smiled.

I watched as she spun around and did cartwheels without falling. The snow on the trees distracted me for a moment as the sun came out. It sparkled when the sun touched it and even the snow falling down looked like glitter was raining everywhere.

Emilie stopped goofing around and stared up with me. "This is a wonderful last moment," she murmured.

I smiled. It was a great last moment. I thought I would only get the car ride with her. We slid down the river back and forth, which ended with goofing off again. Emilie flitted in front of me and then to one end of the river.

I started to go after her, but then she would go to the other side. I growled in frustration and lunged for her. She slid on her knees and went under my legs. We both laughed when she face planted in the snow bank.

I managed to control my laughter, and then offered her my hand. She pulled me in next to her. We laid there in the snow, watching the glitter come down once again.

"I'm really going to miss you," she turned to me. "I've never had a friend before," she continued.

I blinked. "Are you serious?"

Emilie nodded. "I wasn't allowed to go to school. We weren't normal, and the vampires could attack there."

I felt so bad, now I really didn't want to leave. "Maybe we could call each other sometimes," I offered.

"Maybe we could." She didn't sound too convinced.

After our bodies had sunken so far into the snow bank they touched the ground, she pulled herself and me up. Our dresses were soaked. Emilie didn't seem to care too much.

"They'll dry eventually," she shrugged. Emilie was sliding around me with her hands behind her back.

"What happened to all the other hybrids?" I asked curiously.

She stopped and slid back a bit. "The vampires captured them all," she said sadly. "We're the only ones we know of. There could be more out there hiding, though." She began to spin in circles as I slid back and forth.

"Did they kill them?"

She shook her head. "They can't kill us. No one can. They just capture all of us, and keep us weak. Then there are rumors about horrible testing." Emilie frowned and spun on her toes. "We have no idea if they ever found out how to do it, but still none of the ones they captured have ever gotten out."

"Were there a lot of them?"

"Just as much of us as any other mythical creature," she chuckled.

"What other things are there?" I asked, surprised.

"You know the usual," she smirked, taking my hand. We spun in a circle then continued down the river.

"Would you just tell me," I demanded, laughing.

Emilie laughed, shaking her head. "Where's the fun in that?"

"That's not nice at all," I scowled at her.

She pulled me back to where we first got on the ice. "Just vampires, werewolves and us," she shrugged. She was leaving something out I could tell. She was acting more innocent than normal.

I slid in front of her and stared at her eyes. The ice cracked beneath us, and with a high pitched scream we fell into the water. I knew the water had to be below freezing, however; it was warm to me. I opened my eyes and looked around. Emilie was doing flips in the water. It was hard not to laugh at how ridiculous she looked. I swam to the surface with a gasp; even above in the snow I was warm.

Emilie popped up after me. "Oh man my hair's ruined," she complained.

I laughed at her and she joined in. She looked like a wet mouse. Her once curly hair was now straight and tight against her head.

"My makeup is running down my face isn't it?" I frowned at Emilie.

"Yeah pretty much," she smiled.

I nodded and sighed. "So much for getting ready today."

Emilie splashed a wave of water at me, and it was on. So much water was thrown back and forth that the river shrank a little in size. She laughed and jumped on my back, trying to dunk me under. I flipped around Emilie and pushed her under the water.

She jumped back out. "Hey! You finally caught on to it."

I laughed. "Yeah, I've been watching you more."

"I thought I wasn't teaching you anything," she smiled.

I started to say you were wrong, but then a loud honk made us turn. A car just like the one we arrived in, (except it was red) was parked next to ours.

"It's Xavier," she looked at me sadly.

The windows of the car were tinted, but the cars lights and engine were on.

"How do you know?" I asked, staring at the car.

"Who else would it be?" she gave me a weird look.

She was right. If it were someone bad they would have started shooting or something. They would not honk at us. I felt like an idiot.

Emilie pulled herself out of the water, and waited for me to step up onto the snow. My shoes were right there. I toed them on. Emilie's were already on her feet. I gave her a hug, tears finally spilling down my face. When I finally let her go, we walked to the car and she handed me the huge duffel bags.

"These are all the things we took from your room. I added a few extra things, though." She smiled and put her arms around me again. Emilie had to pull my arms off of her. "You have to go now. They are coming for you."

I got into the car as Xavier rolled his window down. "A little cold for a swim isn't it?" he smirked.

Emilie smiled and hugged him through the window. "I'll miss both of you so much," she squeezed my hand and backed away from the car.

"Take care Emilie," he half smiled. "Make sure to tell them I'm sorry and I had to do it."

Emilie nodded and I waved at her. She waved back and smiled a little.

Xavier backed out fast. Emilie stood there in the snow with a pained look on her face. I stared out the window till I could no longer see her.

Xavier brushed his fingers against my skin. "I love you," he breathed.

I stared into his eyes and just blurted it out. "I love you too."


	9. Proposal

_Chapter 9. _

_Proposal_

The snow had finally stopped falling. I silently watched the snow glistened trees pass us by. I believe twenty minutes went by before Xavier spoke again. I jumped from the sudden sound of his voice.

"I'm sorry for this," Xavier murmured.

"Don't be," I smiled, gripping his hand in mine.

"I couldn't do it. I can't marry her." He stared straight ahead, upset. "I can't believe you wanted me to," he shook his head.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Xavier said nothing. He just continued to drive down the road. His silence seemed to last forever. I could only stand it for eight minutes more.

"Where are we going?" I threw my hands up in the air, making him jump.

"I'm taking you somewhere in Crystal Falls for a few days," he said, breaking his silence. His eyes shifted back and forth, to me then the road. Why was he so nervous?

I looked at his eyes for awhile, wondering what he was up to. I had no patience. I gave up and asked.

"What are you not telling me?" I narrowed my eyes at him as the guilt became evident on his face.

"Nothing," he said simply. He was obviously lying.

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. Then I looked out the window. "Humph," I muttered.

Xavier sighed. "It's a surprise."

"Really," I turned to him.

"Yes," he smiled back. His eyes looked me over and lingered on my wet chest.

I would have blushed, but I am pretty sure that's impossible. Xavier chuckled and increased the speed of the car.

"You aren't going to give me any hints are you?" I asked, remembering that he wouldn't even tell me where we were going on our date.

"Nope," he smirked.

I scowled and started to pout. He was just like his sister. Xavier saw my face and laughed.

"It has to be a surprise Victoria," he leaned over and kissed my nose.

I couldn't help, but think of him and Olivia again. The two of them laughing and feeding each other. Fury pulsed through me, but I controlled it quickly. The car was no place for a wolf. I reminded myself of who was crying in the church and who was happy in the car.

"Why'd you even propose to her?" I asked, breathing out slowly.

He blinked, not expecting my question. "I didn't."

"She proposed to you!" I exclaimed in surprise.

Xavier nodded his head slowly with a strange look on his face.

"What was their house like?"

"It's a castle," he spoke slowly.

I figured as much. It would have to be huge to hold the entire race of hybrids.

"Where is it at?" I asked curiously.

Xavier turned his head to the side thoughtfully. "It's just on the outskirts of town, on one of the tallest hills."

I nodded and watched the trees once again. It was so strange how the littlest things distracted me. Xavier brushed his hand through my damp hair.

"You're still wet," he mused. "What drove you to go for a swim in the middle of the winter?" he smiled.

"It didn't start out that way," I chuckled. "We were skating, or well pretending to then the ice broke," I explained.

Xavier laughed. "Emilie's idea no doubt."

I pursed my lips. "Well she was the first on the ice, but I was considering it before I saw her." I smiled, remembering her face.

"We'll see them when things die down some," he said.

"Okay," I smiled. "How much longer till we get there?" I looked at the clock on the dash.

"An hour with the speed I'm going," he half smiled.

I leaned against his side and kissed his neck. Again I thought of Olivia and him. Why couldn't I get them out of my head?

"What did you two do together?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

I scoffed. "You and Olivia," I said icily.

"Oh," he pursed his lips. "Hmm lots of stuff."

I rolled my eyes and flicked his head. "Tell me."

He smirked. "Don't be jealous. I only met her family and had tea. …Lots and lots of tea." Xavier made a disgusted face. "I will never drink tea again," he muttered.

We both laughed.

"I wouldn't want to either." I stared up at his beautiful face.

"How much do you love me?" Xavier looked down at me with a serious expression.

It took me a moment to answer. He had caught me off guard. "I love you more than anything," I smiled warmly.

He grinned and kissed the top of my forehead. "I was hoping you would say that," he said. He turned to me again. "Are you hungry?"

"A little," I admitted. "I can wait, though." I added, worried that they might catch up with us.

"No, I won't make you wait." He sounded like it was the worst thing in the world to do.

"You're hungry aren't you?" I smirked at him.

"Very," he chuckled. "Where would you like to eat?" He gestured to all the fast food places now coming into view.

I didn't really care. I chose the one after, the one I went to with Emilie. Xavier gave me a weird look then he sighed. We turned into the drive thru.

"Do you even have a favorite type of food?" he pondered.

I turned my head and thought about it for a few minutes. "I'm not sure. I really like Chinese sometimes, but it gets old after awhile." To make him happy I looked through the whole menu before choosing the best dish. Xavier smiled, guessing that I was choosing slowly on purpose.

He ordered the same thing I did, along with something else. The scent filled the car and it made my stomach pain worse. I was hungrier than I'd thought. I tried really hard to chew my food because I didn't want him to think I was a pig.

He saw through my politeness and laughed. "You don't have to impress me anymore," he smiled.

I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Okay then," he smirked.

I finished before him and looked around the city. We had got here so fast.

"What if someone recognizes me?" I asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about it. We won't be in public eye too much," he said between bites.

"Please give me a hint," I fluttered my eyes at him.

"It's in Crystal Falls." Xavier chuckled.

"That is not a hint," I complained.

"Sure it is."

"Fine I'll figure it out myself," I smiled.

"I doubt it," he laughed.

"I thought we were in Crystal Falls," I turned to him.

"Nope, this is just a small detour," Xavier replied.

That figures. No wonder I thought we got here really fast. Where were we then? I didn't bother to ask him.

Eventually he started to slow the car down and I thought he was going to stop. I got excited and saw him smiling at me out of the corner of my eye. I turned to him. He laughed and sped up the car.

"That's mean!" I hit his arm repeatedly.

Xavier caught my arm and kissed my hand. "I'm sorry, I was just teasing you."

I shook my head angrily, but I still had a hard time trying not to smile.

"We are very close," he promised.

"Okay, I forgive you," I muttered, still upset.

"Are you sure?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Yes Xavier I'm sure." I smiled, rolling my eyes.

Finally he stopped the car. I didn't move. I expected him to start the car and laugh again.

"We're here Victoria," he said, pulling open my door.

I looked up at him skeptically, and then gave him my hand. Xavier pulled me against himself and he brushed his lips against mine. We stood there for awhile with our lips crushed together. Somehow I was in the air wrapped around him. His body moved closer and closer against me. I heard the car start to buckle under us, and he pulled away. Xavier kissed me lightly a few more times then took me by the hand.

"This way," he towed me forward.

"Where are we?" I laughed. All the trees looked the same to me. A loud roaring sound was in the distance, and I narrowed my eyes. It was a waterfall. Pine trees were also decked out in blue Christmas lights, which surrounded me.

"It's beautiful," I smiled at Xavier. "Did you do this?" I laughed.

He shrugged. "It's possible." He smiled and nodded towards the ground.

I looked down at the snow to see rose petals covering every inch of it.

"Oh," I reached down and scooped a few into my palm. "These are real," I smiled and ran my finger across them.

"Yes," he smirked and started to shift around nervously.

"What's wrong?" I asked, watching him.

"Nothing," he fiddled around with something in his coat pocket.

I looked strangely at him, but I didn't push it any further. This was such a nice thing for him to do. I stared at the blue lights and the silky mist of the water falling down.

"Thank you," I told him. "This place is amazing."

"You're welcome." Xavier wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to his chest.

"I love you." I whispered, kissing his hand.

"I know," he chuckled.

I laughed and lifted my head up so he could kiss me. Then I pulled my face away from his and watched the snow start to fall again. The blue lights made it sparkle. However, the small pond in front of the waterfall looked very inviting. I wondered if he would object to a winter swim. I was about to ask, when he interrupted me by turning me around to face him.

"I brought you here for a reason. There's something important I wanted to ask you," he looked at the ground when he spoke, and then fiddled with something in his coat again. "It needed to be done before we got to Crystal Falls."

"What is it?" I smiled, pulling his hands in mine.

He smirked and shifted nervously again. Then he brushed his hand through his dark hair. He didn't appear like he was going to speak again.

I laughed and shook him a little. "Xavier what is it?"

He sighed and let go of one of my hands. "Come with me," he gestured to the waterfall.

"Okay," I said, confused.

Our footsteps made crunching sounds as we stepped through the petal covered snow. The waterfall was much bigger and prettier up close. I didn't want to look away. There was a small bench with lights all around it. Xavier stopped and slowly guided me to sit down on it. I sat there with my hands folded in my lap, smiling up at him. Xavier put his hands on either side of my legs, and leaned in to kiss me softly.

"What are you doing?" I laughed, kissing him again.

"Something very nerve-wracking," he smirked.

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He pulled (what he had been messing with since we got here) out of his pocket. It looked like just a little black box, and then at the same time he got onto one knee.

Oh.

My eyes got wide as I sucked in a huge breath. I couldn't speak and my hands started to tremble. Xavier looked up at me, smiling at my shocked face. I breathed in again, trying to compose myself as he began to speak. How did I not see this coming?

Xavier took my hand. "Victoria Eileen Harper," he began and then took a deep breath. "I have never met anyone like you before. You're one of a kind," he smiled.

Through my shock, I managed to give him a smile back.

"I've never wanted anyone so bad in my life and I promise to love you till the day we die. And you know that's never going to happen," he chuckled.

I was still frozen in shock. I couldn't even smile at him.

"Would you do me the great honor of marrying me?" he opened the back box at the same time.

I gasped as I stared down at the exquisite ring. The blue lights above me made the huge round diamond, (that took up the whole ring) throw rainbows everywhere. I held out my hand and let him slide the silver ring into place. I examined it closer. Much smaller diamonds covered the band; which formed into a v shape when it met the large diamond.

I don't know how I found the words to speak, but somehow I did. "Yes." I smiled up at him. "Yes, I will marry you."

Xavier picked me up and crushed me against him in a second. We spun around and then he touched his lips to mine. We both laughed as he spun me around again till we fell into the snow. He chuckled quietly, and rolled till he was above me. Xavier brushed the rose petals out of my hair then I leaned forward to kiss him again.

"Do you want to go for a swim?" I finally asked.

He pursed his lips then gave me a weird smile. "Don't normal people go swimming during the summer?"

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. "Who said I was normal? I've been told I'm one of a kind."

We both laughed and Xavier set his head against mine.

"You are one of a kind." He unbuttoned his shirt and slid off his jacket. Then he pulled me upright.

I watched as he took the rest of his clothes off, and jumped into the water. I grinned and slipped off my, (almost dry) pink dress. Then slowly, I lowered myself into the water. Xavier popped up in front of me. I jumped and almost bit him.

"I'm sorry." I laughed.

He just grinned and wrapped his arms around my waist.

I ran my fingers through his wet hair and kissed up his neck. I stopped at the cheekbone. Xavier leaned back against the rocks, pulling me through the water with him. I rested my head against his bare chest. His skin felt amazing on mine. I remembered the wonderful night we shared in my bed, and wanted to relive it. I wrapped my legs around him then dove underwater.

I wondered how he liked being teased. I laughed to myself as I swam underneath the waterfall. I went up to the surface and found myself in a cave. It was beautiful. Something grabbed my leg and pulled me back into the water.

"Xavier!" I laughed, wrapping my hands around his neck. "You scared me." I smiled and kissed him.

"You deserve it for teasing me like that," he smirked, gripping my hair.

"Look at this place. It keeps getting more and more interesting." I waved my hand towards the cave.

He took my hand and pulled me out of the water. "Let's go explore."

I walked extremely close to him, covering everything I could.

Xavier rolled his eyes. "No one is going to see you and we'd hear it if someone was even a mile away."

I relaxed a little, although; someone doesn't just get use to walking around naked. The cave didn't stretch very far. It was sure pleasant to look at, though. When we reached the end we were in the middle of the woods. Icicles hung down from the top of the cave entrance and the trees were covered in snow.

He stared at a pile of rocks next to the cave. "Come on," he towed me closer to it.

I watched as he started to climb up the rocks to the top of the cave. I hesitated for a few minutes then followed him to the top.

Xavier pulled me till we got to the waterfall, then he grinned. "Ready?"

I took a deep breath and we jumped into the water below.

I sat in the car. Xavier turned the heater on high because he wanted us to be dry for his next stop. He made me put on a new dress too. I'm not sure why it had to be white. I held my hair in front of the vent, but it got boring fast.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked quietly.

"Of course fiancé," Xavier smiled.

"Emilie said there were other mythical creatures, but she left out something. What was it?"

Xavier pondered my question for awhile before he spoke. "There are a lot of things that people think don't exist. We are one. Then there are the normal vampires and werewolves."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Emilie said that and she looked like she was keeping something else from me."

He shook his head. "There is nothing else Victoria."

I frowned and looked at all the businesses and restaurants pass by. "Does your fiancé get another hint?" I tried flirting again. I batted my eyes at him.

Xavier laughed and looked down at my hand. "This is your hint." He pointed to my ring.

"How so?" I stared at it, wondering if it had words inscribed on it somewhere.

"You'll see soon enough," he murmured.

"Can't you just tell me?" I pleaded.

"No," he sighed and ruffled my almost dry hair. "Tell me what happened at the wedding?" he asked, distracting me on purpose.

"Your parents were worried right away. It took awhile for everyone else to be upset. Most of them started to gossip about what could have happened to you. Many thought you had bailed. The King and Queen were furious, especially after Olivia cried and complained for an hour," I told him quickly.

Xavier smirked. "I guess I shouldn't have agreed to her proposal. It might have been worse if I hadn't, though."

"What do you mean?"

"I was asked by her at the castle, in front of everyone. If I would have declined, they would have taken me away then and there," Xavier explained.

A shiver of fear went through my body. I couldn't bear it if he had never come home. "What time is it?" I asked. I was starting to get tired.

"Its 7:30, but we're almost there. You'll be able to sleep soon," he whispered.

He knew me so well. I smiled at him.

"Well maybe," he amended and winked at me.

A car screeched behind us. We both turned our heads to the sound. It was a small dark car, which was eerily similar to ours. I looked at Xavier with wide eyes, fear evident on my face. His face was smooth and emotionless.

"Bad drivers," he said simply.

I looked ahead at the snowy road. My mind was wondering with all the possibilities. It could be one of the vampires. It could be Emilie, who decided to change her mind and come with us. I decided quickly that that was not one of the possibilities. I looked back out the window to see the car closing in on us. I shook Xavier's shoulder hard enough to where his hands flew off the wheel.

"Victoria!" he screamed out at me as he tried to control the car.

The car swerved to the right and then the left. I wasn't paying attention to him, though. I was watching the dark car that was right on our tail. It sped up and slammed into the back of our car. I was thrown against the side of the window. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't very pleasant.

"Get down," Xavier hissed at me.

I did what he said and crouched on the floor. It was surprisingly clean. I watched Xavier open the glove box and pull out a small gun. I ducked down and covered my head, just in case.

The car behind us hit us again and that sent our car spinning in circles. I gripped the floor tightly as I screamed a little. A few shots went out and I peeked over the seat. Whoever was attacking us got two of their tires blown out. That didn't stop them one bit.

Xavier pushed my head down. "I told you to stay down. That has to be one of the vampires."

Fear spiked in my stomach and I looked up at Xavier. His eyes were more angry then afraid. He didn't believe that we were going to die. I still couldn't help, but think about it. If something were to happen to him I didn't know what I'd do.

"Be careful," I called out almost unwillingly.

"Nothing is going to happen Victoria," he said simply.

The car crashed into the side of us again. Xavier gripped the wheel tightly in order to keep in on the road. I watched him lean backwards and shoot at the car again. This time he only hit the windshield a couple times. It was a good thing, though. The driver was barely able to see anymore.

Xavier got a wicked looking smile on his face. To be honest, it scared me a little. I've never seen that side of him before. Should I have agreed to marry him so quick?

"What are you planning?" I asked warily.

His smile grew more pronounced. "You'll see."

I sat up and got back into my seat. We were no longer on a road. He was driving through the grass and snow. The car slid every few feet, but so did the car behind us. It slammed into us again, but it was only slightly. The driver really couldn't see much at all.

Xavier sped up to about fifty. I caught sight of something unsettling. I leaned my face closer to the front window and narrowed my eyes. It didn't appear like there was anymore ground ahead of us. It seemed like there was a big drop off.

"Um Xavier," I whispered.

"Just relax. Trust me," he said.

"Is that a cliff?" I asked a lot louder then normal.

"Maybe," he grinned.

"What the hell are you doing?" I exclaimed. I looked back to see the car was still following us closely.

"I told you to trust me," he said.

"You are crazy! Give me the wheel," I commanded.

Xavier shrugged me away from him and sped up. I screamed and beat at his shoulder. "I do not want to find out if we can survive a cliff dive."

"You don't have to," he said simply.

I looked at him like he was insane. I then turned my attention to the now much larger drop off. We were only a yard from it. I closed my eyes and then covered my hands over my eyes. The car crossed the distance in a shorter time then I thought. A sharp turn caused me to go flying into Xavier's lap. He laughed and rubbed my back a couple times.

I looked back behind us just in time to see the dark car go sailing off the cliff. A loud crash followed the drop, but nothing exploded. I guess all the movies were wrong. I looked back at Xavier, who was laughing loudly.

"That teaches them to mess with hybrids," he chuckled.

I was a little annoyed, but I couldn't stay mad at him. "You could have told me your plan."

"It was spur of the moment and I didn't want to risk whoever that was hearing it," Xavier explained.

"How did they find us so quick?" I sighed sadly.

"We don't even know if it was a vampire. And this is supposed to be a special night. Don't forget that we still have one more stop," he smiled.

I laughed quietly and laid my head against the side of the window. "That's right."

"Why don't you get some sleep and I'll wake you when we're there." Xavier could tell that I was tired.

I closed my eyes for what seemed like a few minutes. I was startled awake. The car was parked in front of a church type place and Xavier was stroking my face. I knew it had to have been at least an hour, but it felt like I hadn't gotten any sleep.

"Sweetheart we're here," he murmured while picking me up and setting me on the ground next to him. "This way," he whispered and helped me through the door.

Everything was really bright, which caused my eyes to open wide. It was a church. Xavier was walking me down the aisle, and only one person was present. The preacher stood in the center of an alter with a smile wider than his face.

"We're getting married!" I hissed when my eyes were more alert.

"Yes," Xavier said slowly. "That's what you agreed to."

I shook my head in shock. "You never said when."

"You still agreed," Xavier held his head up arrogantly. He knew he had won.

A woman dressed in white, (just like me) came out and handed me a bouquet of roses. Xavier smiled at me and let go of my hand. Instead, he offered me his elbow and I slid my arm in. I wasn't expecting it to happen this soon. However, looking into his eyes and him smiling back, told me it was meant to be.

"I love you," he mouthed.

"I love you more," I smiled.

He seemed to relax a little after he knew I was okay with this.

We stopped in front of the white alter and the preacher began to speak. He started out really slowly in the beginning. I almost fell asleep till Xavier started to speak. He repeated after the preacher, but the only part I was clear on was _I do_. I paid more attention this time when I was the one who had to repeat after him.

"I do," I smiled.

"By the authority invested in me you may now kiss the bride," the preacher closed the bible.

Xavier pulled me close and started to kiss me softly. Then it became harder. I pulled away. It wasn't so polite to do that in front of other people. Xavier apparently didn't care. He grabbed me and pulled me close. I gave in.

"You're now Mr. and Mrs. Williams. Please come sign this." The preacher handed me a pen.

I wrote my name on the marriage certificate, and then Xavier did the same.

"Congratulations," he smiled and gave Xavier a copy of the certificate.

Xavier picked me up as I laughed. Then he carried me to the car.

"Here you are Mrs. Williams." He grinned as he sat me down in my seat.

"Where are we going now?" I smiled up at my husband.

"To the hotel room I paid for," he replied. "We have a honeymoon to go to, do we not?"

I smiled. "Yes, I would like that very much." I leaned forward and kissed him till he pulled out into the street. I was still very tired, but I was not going to miss one second of my honeymoon. The hotel was massive. I had to crane my neck to see the top.

"We're on the top floor aren't we?" I asked.

"Yep," he laughed when I made a surprise face.

Xavier carried in my two bags, plus a few of his own. He refused to let me help. Gold plated the entire lobby. I had never seen a bigger one.

People were rushing around doing a variety of things. I almost ran into a table with an assortment of roses. I've been seeing these everywhere lately. It was very strange.

Different types of roses were placed in many different spots around the room. I smiled and breathed in their light scent. Xavier leaned against the long desk. I wouldn't have been able to see over it. Xavier was only there for a moment, and then he gestured for me to go to the elevator. He beat me there. Once the elevator doors were closed, he dropped the suitcase and swept me into his arms in the same movement. I pressed myself against him, making his body fall on the side of the wall.

The elevator doors opened much too soon. I jumped away from him as people entering the elevator stared at us in disgust. They were rich snobby old people. I could never get away from them. Xavier picked our bags back up, and I situated my dress so it was covering me properly again. He stifled a laugh as one of the older women turned to glare at us one more time before she got off.

"How could you make me look like a whore?" Xavier looked down at me in hatred. "What will all the other guys say?"

I laughed and hit his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

He stared straight ahead, not looking at me. "Fine. I can guess I forgive you," Xavier pressed his lips together to hide his smile.

I shook my head and laughed again. If I remembered correctly, he was the one who attacked me. The elevator doors opened on the last level. Xavier moved all the bags to his other arm and picked me up.

I grinned as he walked to the door and slid the key card in. My mouth fell open when he found the light switch. Of course, he had bought the best. It was the penthouse suite. It was the same size as the bottom half of the mansion.

Xavier set me down on the love seat with a kiss. "I'll be right back," he promised.

I looked at the giant diamond on my finger. It was hard to wrap my head around. _I was married_. The words didn't even seem true as I spoke them.

Although, I knew normal girls had a least a month to get used to it. As I well know, I'm not normal. My life would never be normal again. I bet Emilie will be mad. We will have to have another wedding, a real one so she can see.

A sharp pain twisted in my stomach. I pulled my legs up onto the love seat, and wrapped my arms around them. It made my stomach feel better. I had gotten everything I ever wanted, even though I had tried to throw it away. I was meant to be his.

Glancing quickly around the room, I spotted the kitchen then ran to it. I yanked open the fridge. My aching stomach rejoiced. The fridge was fully stocked.

I was setting things on the counter and then kept going back for more. I attempted to carry it all back to the love seat. Many things dropped along the way, so I ended up eating dinner on the carpet. I started to shove things in my mouth, (most of them I wasn't quite sure what they were). Then Xavier walked in with a couple more bags and gave me a weird look.

"Want some?" I shook the bottle of wine at him.

Xavier smiled and threw the bags in the corner. Then he flitted next to me. Instead of using a glass, he drank straight from the wine bottle. He chuckled when I raised my eyebrow at him, and then he kissed my lips. I kissed him back for a few minutes and then continued to tame the beast in my stomach. I growled at Xavier every time he reached for the food in front of me.

I got embarrassed and apologized each time. Yet, I kept growling when he tried again. I couldn't control it. Xavier thought it was funny how upset I was over it.

"You're new. It will go away after awhile," he told me.

When the pain in my stomach was gone, he could finally eat.

"Let's not wait so long to feed you next time," he smirked.

"Yeah," I agreed, ashamed of myself. I looked around the room for the first time, actually seeing it. The bed was huge. It had to be a king size. There were three bathrooms as well as the decent sized kitchen, (I had already been in). A few extra bedrooms were hidden in there also.

"Are you still tired?" Xavier asked, distracting me from the room.

"Kind of," I admitted.

"Well that's too bad. I don't think I'm going to be able to let you sleep," he smiled darkly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

He gestured to the bed with his chin.

Oh, I looked down embarrassed. "You want to right now?" I smiled sheepishly.

He nodded slowly, a slight smile on his face, but he looked dead serious.

I got up from the floor, leaving my mess behind. The wine was coming with, though. I walked a little slower than usual. I was attempting to be seductive.

I flipped my hair back and unzipped my dress as slow as I could. Xavier followed me and sat on the right side of the bed. I sat on the opposite side and fluttered my eyelashes at him. We both laughed and I covered my face with my hands.

"Just a second," I flitted to the bathroom, and almost fell into the Jacuzzi. I heard Xavier's laughter behind me. So I shut the door.

I stood in front of the mirror. My makeup was pretty much gone, so I didn't need to worry if it was smeared or not. I slid off the white dress, which Emilie must have given me since I had never seen it before. My hair was actually pretty decent looking. I didn't have to do much with it. I sighed and took off the other remaining things on my body. I took a deep breath and opened the door, careful not to fall in the Jacuzzi.

Xavier grinned while lying back with his hands behind his head. I was surprised to see him already undressed. Why was everyone faster than me? I kneeled on the bed and leaned over him, touching my lips to his. He wrapped his arms around my waist. His lips glued to mine. I ran my fingers down his soft chest, and pulled him on top of me.

I gripped him so hard that he pulled my hands off.

"Gently," he told me.

I smiled apologetically, and then reached for his lips greedily. The brief minutes seemed like seconds as his skin slid softly across mine. I didn't want it to end. His body sent an electric shock through me with every touch. It was a thousand times better than I remembered. Pleasure consumed my entire body. I collapsed against the bed, falling asleep instantly.


	10. Katharine

_Chapter 10._

_ Katharine_

Birds chirped outside the window. I rolled over, snuggling deeper into the silk sheets. Xavier's arm was draped over my stomach. He pulled me closer against him. I put my hand over his, and then rubbed his arm. I felt his lips against my neck.

"How'd you sleep?" he whispered.

"Very well," I smiled and laced my fingers in his.

The sun streamed in through the white lacy curtains. That meant it must have finally stopped snowing. I stretched, careful not to hit Xavier. I chuckled and turned towards him. Then I ran my fingers down his face. He gave me a quick peck then rolled me on top of him.

"What are we doing today?" I asked.

"Whatever you wish," he murmured between kisses.

I twirled my finger around his chest. "There's this place I use to love to go. I really miss it."

"Then we'll go." Xavier lifted his head and kissed the tip of my nose.

I smiled nervously, and he raised his eyebrows in response.

"What is it?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing. I just want to go to a place that's kind of close to where I use to live."

"How close?" he asked skeptically.

"The house overlooks it." I tried to beg with my eyes.

Xavier closed his eyes and sighed. "That's not a good idea."

"Please?" I laid my head against his chest sadly.

"The vampires know of that place. That's where they found you," he muttered.

He new the exact place I meant. Where all didn't he follow me?

"Just for a little while," I pleaded. I stuck my bottom lip out and tried to look as innocent as possible.

Xavier laughed and rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright we'll go, but be very cautious. I don't want a repeat of last time," he scowled and sat up with me. "Go get dressed," he said while rubbing my back.

"Okay," I bounced up with a grin on my face. Xavier walked into the same bathroom I had last night.

"Oohff," he said loudly.

I laughed till I could barely breathe. "You fell in that Jacuzzi didn't you."

"Maybe," he answered after a few seconds.

I chuckled a few more times while looking through the suitcase Emilie gave me. "What's the weather like?" I called towards the bathroom.

"I don't know go look outside," he yelled back.

I flitted behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. Xavier smirked and kissed my hand.

"Want to join me?" His eyes looked over to the shower and back to me.

I smiled and stared at the floor. "Okay."

Xavier backed up to the shower. His eyes never left mine as he turned the knob.

I stepped forward and put my arms around his neck. Then he picked me up. I was set down in the shower next to him as he turned the switch that sprayed water on my head. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his chest, letting the hot water run down my face. Xavier kissed my neck and trailed upwards till he rested on my lips. I softly moved my lips against his, and then I traced his tongue with my own.

Xavier gripped my thigh and pulled me up into his arms. I wrapped my other leg around him so it would be easier to stay up. He slid my wet hair away from my eyes and touched his head to mine.

"I've wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you," he murmured, staring into my eyes.

I smiled, flattered. "I love you."

His lips crushed to mine once more, and that's all it took. Awhile later, I remembered I was supposed to be getting ready to go.

"You're so good at distracting," I commented while turning off the water.

"I try my best," he grinned.

I smiled at him. Then I pulled the shades open. The snow was melting and the sun shinned bright in the sky.

"It's nice out," I told him.

Emilie packed me nothing, but dresses and expensive outfits. I sighed and chose the most casual one I could find. I wore an, (almost see through) long sleeved shirt that hung down around my shoulders. Luckily, there was a pair of tight black jeans and boots. I wasn't a big fan of white, but at least I had something under it.

I know it was silly, since I was married to him and he had already seen me without it on. I still had to put on at least a little bit of makeup. I stood in front of the mirror, trying to make my bangs go where I wanted them. After I accomplished that, the rest of it was fine. I smiled and turned to Xavier.

"I'm ready," I spun around slowly, showing myself off. (A little habit I picked up from Emilie). "What do you think?" I asked.

"You are beyond beautiful," he kissed my cheek.

"Thank you," I beamed.

Xavier was already dressed. He wore a simple black shirt and tight fitting blue jeans. The jacket he wore, however; looked just as expensive as the room.

"Are you ready to go?"

I took his hand and pulled him towards the door. It was my turn to drag for a change. As I closed the door, I noticed the small hand painted roses on the ceiling. I shook my head in disbelief. How odd. I wondered if he was picking these places on purpose since he knew the rose was my favorite flower. No, why would he do that?

"Are you alright?" Xavier stared at me, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"Yes, I was just…umm thinking about something." I closed my eyes and blew it off as nothing. I could tell he didn't believe me, but he never asked me about it further.

"We're going to run there," he told me.

I was all for that plan. I haven't gone running since the last time I fed with Emilie, and of course thinking of her made the sadness resurface.

Xavier touched my cheek. "Let's go," he whispered, and then kissed me.

I forced a smile. Then I flew off down the sidewalk.

"Hey!" he yelled.

I giggled. Xavier caught up with me in seconds, and then jumped over me. Now in the lead, he laughed and ran out a yard ahead of me. He just can't stand to lose can he?

People were passing us by on the sidewalk. We ducked and dodged them. They wouldn't see us, not with how fast we were going. I finally caught a break when we passed a brick building with many windows. I jumped on one and ran down the front of it, landing in front of him once again. Xavier was taken aback, however; he didn't slow down an inch.

"There's no way you're winning this," he called to me arrogantly.

This made me even more determined. "We'll see," I called back.

We had to have been at least half way there. I glanced at a window we passed and saw him closing in on me. I veered right into the street, almost crushing a car. I heard his laughter behind me.

I don't understand how everyone was faster than me. Was it just practice? Maybe, it's just because they're older. I frowned. That means I would never beat him.

I could see the blue of the ocean on the horizon as I raced up the hill. It called to me and distracted me long enough for Xavier to pass me again.

Damn it.

"HA!" He laughed as he flitted ahead of me.

I growled then increased my speed. I saw a car on the corner and gripped the side of it, aiming it towards him. Then I sent it flying with a flick of my wrist. It hit him dead on, slamming him into the building. The people around turned and stared in shock. I reached the boardwalk of the beach and turned to the crushed building, laughing.

"I won!" I threw my arms in the air.

People gave me weird glances. I didn't care, I was happy. I turned around again to face the beach I hadn't seen in months. Xavier was there before me, glaring. I stared at him with wide eyes. He didn't have a scratch on him.

"I won," I smiled nervously, chuckling a little.

He said nothing. He just stood there silently glaring at me.

"I'm sor…," In a blur of a movement I was on my back, pinned against the ground. I stared at him in shock and confusion. I couldn't find words. Xavier laughed and kissed me.

"I can't believe you did that to your husband," he laughed against my skin.

I sighed in relief. "Don't scare me like that again," I frowned at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry I scared you after you hit me with a car," he said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry," I laughed. "I got competitive."

"I guess so." He half smiled.

I looked at the sand and waves. Then I smiled in content. My beach hadn't changed at all.

I sat there in the sand, staring at the blue waves. I ran my hands through the small grains of sand. I had forgotten what it felt like. All my worries and sadness drifted away, like it had never been there to begin with.

Xavier stood on a nearby cliff. He had to see the entire beach at once in case there were any nearby threats. Occasionally, I looked up at him and caught him smiling down at me. I smiled back.

I couldn't help, but glance at the house I once known. It looked the same as it did when I last saw it with Emilie. I wonder if I could talk Xavier into taking me over there, only to retrieve a few paintings before Katharine gave them all away. I doubt it.

He barely said yes to let me come here. The wind picked up, blowing my hair around my face and it made the waves crash along the shore. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and stood. Then I walked closer to the water.

I felt Xavier's eyes on me. He worried about me too much. What did he use to do before they assigned him to look after me? I made a mental note to ask him sometime. Seagulls flew over my head; making their annoying noise. I hated how well I could hear them now. At least how beautiful the ocean was, (with my new eyes) made up for it.

Xavier put his hands around me and kissed my cheek. "Want to go for a walk Mrs. Williams?"

I turned my head up to look at him. "I would love to Mr. Williams."

I pecked him on the lips and took hold of one of his hands. We walked hand in hand down the beach, and he started up with the million questions again.

"Why do you love me?" he grinned when I made a face at him.

"Why wouldn't I? You're an amazing guy. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Xavier put his hand to his heart. "Awww," he said sarcastically.

"Shut up!" I laughed and pushed him a little.

He laughed as well. "Now tell me why you really love me."

I pulled him to a stop. "I wasn't lying. I do feel that way, but I also think you're funny, smart, and completely adorable." I tried to grab one of his cheeks and he dodged me.

Xavier smiled. "Adorable, huh? What type of moves do you like?"

I pursed my lips thinking about it. "I guess I like action and horror more than romance, but I don't hate romantic movies."

Xavier nodded and walked me up to the boardwalk. He was about to ask another question, but I interrupted him.

"That shop is new." I pointed to a small building across the street.

Xavier shrugged. "Lead the way."

I ran into the shop, dragging him behind me. I loved all the clothes in it. I wished I had money. As if reading my mind, Xavier pulled out his wallet, exposing a large sum of cash.

"You don't have to." I told him.

"It's our money now," he whispered in my ear.

"I guess you're right," I smiled, taking the whole wallet out of his hand. He laughed then followed me around the store, making suggestions here and there. I tried to spend my, I mean our money wisely, but it's hard when you want everything. I pulled a brown sweater/dress thing out with a belt, and it would look really cute.

"Oh," I grabbed a white and brown striped jacket just before someone else did. "These would go perfectly together," I commented to myself. I saw Xavier roll his eyes and smirked at me. "What?" I asked.

He just shook his head.

"Would they not look good together?" I asked, holding them up in front of me.

"They look fine together," he said. "There's nothing wrong. Keep looking."

I did as he said with a wary look on my face. My wary look was replaced by one of panic. I gripped Xavier by the shoulder and pulled him down behind the clothes rack.

"Get down!"I hissed.

"What is it?" he asked, startled.

"The evil of all evils," I whispered darkly.

Xavier's eyes widened. "Who is it?"

I peeked through the clothes, only to duck back inside them. "Katharine," I hissed.

"Who is Katharine?" he asked, staring at me blankly.

"My sister," I growled menacingly at her.

Xavier snorted, breaking me out of my concentration. I was trying to make her burst into flames with my eyes.

"You had me worried over nothing," he complained.

"What if she sees me?" I stared at him like he was insane.

"Tell her you're someone else," he shrugged.

"Oh yeah right," I hissed. "No I'm not Victoria. I'm just a random person who looks just like her," I muttered sarcastically.

"Well it would have to be more detailed than that," Xavier smiled as I glared at him.

"Go pay for these." I tossed my pile of clothes and his wallet at him. Then I hid back in the rack. I heard him sigh then I peeked at him as he passed Katharine.

Katharine turned and looked him over. "Damn," she smiled.

I broke the clothes rack. A couple women turned towards me, just as I flitted to the cover of a new one. The sales clerk was confusingly trying to fix the rack. Katharine and her friend, Andrea, (who I've never liked) were giggling and talking about _my husband._

Xavier started to laugh out of nowhere, and a couple of customers gave him strange glances. He must have heard me growling. I was furious. They were going to talk to him. I swear my growls filled the entire room. Who did she think she was? Could she not see the ring on his finger?

I was in trouble. I could feel my rage swim throughout me. I slowly moved the rack in the direction of the door. I had to get out of here now. I could not turn in a store. I'd never live it down. I got close enough to the door where I could just bolt, and then I ended up on the beach.

I took deep breaths in and out, using the techniques Amelia taught me. I stared at the waves and counted the rocks. That helped tremendously. My hands stopped trembling, and I sat in the sand with a sigh of relief. I really needed to work on my anger. I was married to him. I knew better than to be jealous.

Didn't I?

"I can't believe you are that jealous," he called from a distance.

I turned to see him standing on the boardwalk, his arms full of bags.

"I'm sorry," I sighed sadly. I walked slowly towards him. "Do you forgive me?" I asked when I reached him.

"Of course I do," he said.

I looked down at the bags. There had to be at least eight of them. "Do you want me to carry some?" I started to grab one.

"No," he pulled the bags out of my reach.

I frowned. "Do you want to go back to the hotel then?"

"Perhaps after we eat," he smiled and started to walk back the way we came.

"You're just going to carry all those till we get home?" I raised my eyebrows.

"No I'm going to put them in the car," he replied

"Xavier we didn't bring a car." I spoke slowly.

"Nope, but other people did," he grinned at me.

"We can't do that," I scoffed.

"Why not?" he asked, looking over each car we passed.

"It's wrong," I said.

"So your point is?" he pursed his lips together to keep from laughing.

"Never mind," I sighed.

"We're only borrowing it," he told me.

"I still don't feel right about it." I whispered.

"So you are okay with killing people, but when it comes to thievery…"

I didn't let him finish his sentence. "Okay you win. We'll take a car," I rolled my eyes when he smiled arrogantly. He knew he always won eventually, but that might have to change soon. "My turn," I said casually.

"Your turn for what?" he asked, confused.

"For questions," I smiled up at him.

"Oh," he chuckled.

"Where were you born?" I asked the first question.

"I was born in 1972, a few years after Amelia. In the Rosewood General Hospital, to be more specific." Xavier smiled then headed to a lime green sports car.

"I think someone would notice if that were gone," I noted.

"Probably," he opened the door and started the car.

I glanced around the gas station then opened the front passenger door. The bags were tossed in the back as I glared at Katharine, who had just left the store.

"Did she talk to you?" I narrowed my eyes at him then looked back at her.

"Who?" he smiled while flooring the car down the street. Xavier pulled into an alley on a nearby street and waited for me to speak.

"You know damn well who," I stared at him silently.

"I told her I wasn't interested." He told me than started the car up again.

"What did she say?" I asked, feeling the jealousy making it self know again. When he didn't answer I asked again this time, but more darkly.

Xavier sighed. "She just wanted to know my name, and she told me hers while handing me and invitation to something."

I took the small white envelope out of his hand. In cursive letters in stated, _You're Invited_. It was followed by, _Katharine's 21__st__ Birthday_. I scowled. They never let us have any parties. So now that I'm gone they let her.

Attached to the bottom was an RSVP slip. I picked a pen up off the floor and checked the yes box. This was after Xavier looked away, of course. The party was tonight, and there was no way I was missing it. A slight smile appeared on my face as I planned.

My mind had gone to a dark place, and I did not recover. I remembered myself going through the clothes Emilie packed me earlier, and seeing a certain black and purple outfit. (That was complete with a hat). It just happened to be at the bottom. Emilie may not have intended me to use it for this purpose, however; the occasion called for it. At the bottom of the invitation, printed in small letters read, _Costume Party_.

Xavier picked a restaurant this time and helped me out of the car like he always did. How was I going to get away from him tonight? I brushed at my shirt and pants, making sure no sand had clung to me.

"You look perfect," he said when I started to fidget.

"Thank you," I smiled a little then continued to plan.

I chose the table farther away from everyone else, (just in case the growling started). Xavier nodded his head in approval, and pulled my chair out for me. I picked up the plastic menu and looked around surprised. We were in a Chinese restaurant. I'm really not that observant. I smiled as he sat down across from me.

"Thank you."

"For what?" he smiled back.

"Listening to me I guess," I said. I was just happy that he wanted to do something I liked to do.

"Isn't that what husbands are supposed to do?"

"That doesn't mean they do it." I half smiled then looked back at the menu. A waitress hurried up to the table, not taking her eyes off Xavier.

"What can I do for you today?" she smiled at Xavier.

"We'll have the beef and broccoli with fried rice." I said, forcing her to look at me.

"What if I didn't want that?" he asked, trying not to smile.

"Well too bad, you always end up getting whatever I order anyway." I smiled.

"True," he sipped slowly at the ice water she had given us.

I stared at his bright green eyes. They looked dimmer than normal.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah, why?" he asked, confused.

"Your eyes are different," I pointed to them.

"Oh," he chuckled. "I haven't fed for awhile, that's why."

"Oh, we can go tonight," I offered

"I haven't been for awhile either." I put my hand over his. Of course, we might be having a late snack at a party tonight. Oh who was I kidding? Xavier would never agree to do that. I would have to do it myself.

The much older waitress came back, setting our plates in front of us. (She gave him his plate first,) then gave me mine. She gave him another smile, and then looked him over before she left.

"Aren't you the popular one today," I commented while putting a forkful in my mouth.

"So it seems," he half smiled.

I ate my food really slowly, trying to buy some time. Xavier had finished a long time before I did and he was now watching me silently. It didn't appear like he suspected anything, but he could have been waiting for the right time to mention it. I stared at the last bit of food on my plate. It was nowhere near time for the party. How was I going to waste the remaining hours?

"Are you about done?" he asked.

"Yes I suppose," I got up, stretching my legs.

"Good we need to get your stuff out of the car," he said anxiously.

I had forgotten all about the car we stole.

"Let's go" I said, now more urgent to get out. Luckily, the car was still there untouched. Xavier picked up all my bags and threw the keys in the front seat.

I collapsed on the bed on my back with a smile on my face. I kicked my boots to the floor, and giggled when Xavier jumped on the bed next to me. I saw a silver ring again on his finger. "Did you buy that for yourself?"

He looked down at his hand. "Yeah I didn't want you to feel obligated."

I ran my finger down its smooth surface.

"I wouldn't have minded," I whispered absentmindedly.

"I know you wouldn't have," he brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "Maybe we could go in the Jacuzzi on purpose this time," he suggested with a smile.

"That sounds nice." I kissed his neck.

"I'll run the water," Xavier brushed his fingers across my lips and walked to the bathroom.

I heard the water start, so I went ahead and pulled off my clothes. I wasn't quite sure what I was planning to do. Maybe I just wanted to scare Katharine. To do that, however; I needed to get away from Xavier. My best option was to get him to sleep, and I knew just how to do it. I stepped into the bathroom, and he was already in the tub.

"Fall in again?"

"Nope I got in by choice," he gestured to the water.

I stepped in to the hot water and sat next to him. I decided I wasn't close enough, and then I set my legs on top of his. I smiled at him, in a certain way that made my intentions clear. Xavier was on top of me in seconds, just like I hoped. An hour later we were both lying on the bed exhausted.

I knew he would fall asleep easily. I scribbled him a note really quick and set it on my pillow. I grabbed the costume and shut the door quietly behind me. Perfectly timed, I mused.

The sun was just starting to set outside. I would have just run there again, but I had to make it back before he woke up. It did only take ten minutes, though. I ran the same way we had gone. When I came to the building I had destroyed, I was surprised to see it had been cleaned up already.

I looked longingly at my beach as I passed it by. Then I turned towards the house. Spotlights were in the driveway, along with every kind of car imaginable. I found the bushes Emilie and I had hidden in.

How long ago was it? I shook my head. This was no time for emotions to spill over. I dressed in my costume and left my other clothes hidden in the bush.

I pulled the hat down over my eyes, and kept the invite tight in my hand. Just in case they thought I was crashing, even though I kind of am. Bouncer's were letting people in, but only if they had the invitation. I smiled and gripped my hand tighter around it. I walked swiftly in between the parked cars and showed the guy my invite. He opened the rope for me, and I squeezed in between all the people. Somehow I managed to get through the door.

I blinked, the living room was unrecognizable. Katharine had turned it into a club. The only thing I recognized was the family photos over the fireplace. Most of the people here I had gone to school with. Some were actually Katharine's friends, but most of them hated her and with good reason. They probably just came for the free food and entertainment. I stumbled and shoved my way through the crowd.

I hoped to god that no one recognized me as I moved through the last of them. I finally made it to the dining room. Katharine was no where to be seen yet. If she wasn't here all my plans would be pointless. Every time I turned a corner more and more people were there. There had to be at least a thousand people here. I sighed and passed a group of werewolves playing football with my mother's expensive china.

The stairs were covered in toilet paper and silly string. I wiped it off my hand as someone walked past me. Upstairs was the typical making out area, and all the rooms were occupied. I had to keep saying sorry as I walked in on couples half dressed. Then finally I found her. She was in my room with Andrea. I ducked down under my vanity before I was seen.

They were going through all my things. Katharine was tossing pictures everywhere while Andrea was going through the clothes I didn't want. All my paintings and expensive things were already gone. I growled in frustration, but snapped my mouth shut. They looked around, but saw nothing. They went back to what they were doing. That was close.

"I thought you said she had a lot of clothes," Andrea complained with her much too high voice.

"There was. My mom must have gotten rid of it," she tripped, spilling beer on the carpet. "Have you seen him yet?" Katharine whined then put my camera in her pocket.

"No. I don't think he's going to show up." Andrea flipped her red hair back.

Katharine pouted and chugged the rest of the beer. Then she threw the can and some CD's out the window. It was very hard to keep myself calm.

"We should get back to the party. I bet they're going to bring out your cake soon," Andrea suggested.

"Alright," she spoke, and then wobbled around. She tossed the rest of my pictures on the floor.

Andrea made it to the door first, and that's when the revenge consumed me. I gripped Katharine by the throat, slamming her against the mirror. It shattered under the pressure. Andrea took off screaming, so this had to be quick.

Katharine narrowed her eyes at me. "Victoria," she made a slight face. Then she started to cough again, and tried to pull my hand away from her neck.

All I could think to say at the time was. "_He's mine_."

Her eyes widened as I sunk my teeth into her neck. Her screams made me smile. I had lost myself again. I had no idea how long it was for this time. It wasn't good, though. I kept biting again and again into her neck. Eventually her screams turned into whimpers, and then no sound came out at all.

I was on the beach sitting on the wet sand. The dark water was running over my legs. I looked down at my hands. They were bright red.

Oh god, _I didn't_.

Sirens were going by in the distance. I stared with my mouth agape. I shouldn't have come here. I stood slowly. I looked down to see my clothes lying next to me.

I didn't see a point in changing back into them. They'd just get covered in blood. I put my hands in the water, and tried to get all the red I could see off. I looked down at my chest and sighed. Was there anywhere I didn't get it?

I flung the water all over me. My breathing got faster and faster. I closed my eyes tight, trying to calm myself. Maybe it wasn't so bad.

Maybe I just hurt her. I couldn't convince myself. I picked up my clothes and flitted back to the hotel. Why did I lose control like that?

I stopped a little before I got to the hotel, and tried to control my emotions. Just in case Xavier was awake. Would he hate me? I sniffed and wiped my eyes, then walked into the hotel.

It was empty, everyone must be in bed. The stairs would be faster than the elevator. I flitted up them to the top floor. As soon as I opened the door, he was there just as I feared.

"Where have you been?" he demanded.

I felt bad instantly. I've never seen him look worse in his life. He glared at me, worry evident in his face.

"Well…," he said angrily.

"You fell asleep," I stammered, trying to quickly think of a good lie. "I got really thirsty, and I didn't want to wake you. I just couldn't wait any longer."

Xavier's face didn't change, he was still furious.

"I left you a note," I whispered.

"You just said you were doing an errand really quick. You didn't say where or what," he hissed.

"I'm sorry." I reached for his hand and pulled him closer to me.

"I was afraid they would find you," he whispered into my hair, finally starting to calm down. "Did you forget about the person that chased us here?"

"I'm completely fine and no I haven't forgotten." I kissed his cheek and pulled him to the bed. I tossed my hat in the corner and slipped out of my skirt. I left nothing on, but the corset. I laughed when his eyes got wide and he kissed me from the chest up.

"You smell like blood," he commented as his nose brushed against my chest.

I frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he smiled. "I'm starving, I like it."

I smiled a little, but my mind wandered again about what happened. What did I do? I arched my back as he kissed down my chest again. When he grabbed my thighs, I flipped us till I was on top of him. I leaned down and kissed him. It felt like heaven in the middle of my hellish night.


	11. The Attack

_Chapter 11._

_ The attack_

I was buttoning my silk blouse as Xavier kissed my shoulders and neck.

"We have to go," I laughed. "We can't start this again."

"No," he growled.

I picked up his bag and went through the clothes. "Here, wear this."

I threw a dark green button up shirt at him. I was about to say something, but my ring got caught in the light. I was distracted by the rainbows for a few seconds.

"I thought you were hungry." I stared at him.

Xavier had started kissing down my arm, ignoring the clothes. "I am," he muttered then finally put the shirt on.

I tossed him a pair of black jeans as I pulled a pair on myself. I turned towards him and he kissed my forehead.

"Let's go," he said at once.

I was pulled to the door. We were outside instantly and he took a deep breath. I stared at an ambulance going by.

"Wonder who died now," he muttered.

A pained look crossed my face, but I contained it quickly. "Let's get going," I said, feigning excitement. Then I shoved him towards one of the many dangerous parts of town.

Xavier pulled me to a stop and turned to face me. "Okay," he took my hand. "Race you there."

I wasn't really in the mood for a race, although; if I didn't do it he might suspect something. While pushing him into a car, I ran full speed down Main Street. I was at the end of the street in half a second. Behind me, Xavier cussed, and then I heard glass shatter.

I grinned in actual excitement while I waited for him to catch up to me. He shouldn't be too mad. I only promised not to throw a car at him. I didn't say anything about throwing him.

Red lights plashed off and on as I flew down another street. I had only counted six streetlights before I went through a glass window. Xavier's laughter passed me by as I attempted to get up. I hissed and threw a mannequin, which I had landed on.

Xavier wasn't too far ahead. I caught up to him in five seconds, and he was going to pay for that move. Every time he glanced back, I switched sides. Invisibility was the key in my strategy.

I took off down one of the nicer alleys, and then leapt to the top of a building. In a split second, I flung myself to the next one and then continued until I reached Carlin Avenue. It was one of the few streets before our destination. Xavier had just turned onto it much faster than I anticipated.

I didn't have time to think, I just jumped off the building with my claws raised. Unfortunately, he knew me all too well. Right before I landed on him, he changed into a wolf. As I pounced on the pitch black wolf I managed to change myself in the process. We rolled down the street, snapping and clawing at each other.

Xavier pinned me, and he barked a small laugh. At least that's what it sounded like. I growled and kicked him forward with my back legs. He yipped when he hit a car.

How did I always injure him with cars?

I ran past him towards the area where all the bad people hang out. A howl echoed through the streets, which caused me to run faster. The moon glowed bright in the sky. It was surrounded by a million tiny stars. Quit distracting yourself, I chanted over and over. Do you want him to pass you? As I thought about it in my head it actually happened.

Damn it. I growled and nipped at his tail, but I missed of course. He beat me. When he reached the part of the city we were headed to, he changed back and laughed. I stopped, and changed back too.

I walked slowly the rest of the way. He stared at me with a strange smile on his face, either because he won or the fact that I wasn't dressed. I felt weird to walk down the middle of the ghetto naked, but at least I wasn't alone. Xavier's pale skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. I stared to say something romantic to him, however; he silenced me with his hand. His hand then clamped tight around my mouth.

Xavier gestured to the two women that were running down the sidewalk. They looked like they were from upper class. All their clothes and jewelry were pretty expensive. The girls most have went to a salon today. Their hair was perfect.

"What are they doing here?" I wondered to myself.

"Nothing good," Xavier muttered. He pointed out what they were trying to cover up. Blood splatter was on there shirts and the entire front of their jeans. "That was easy," Xavier turned to me and smiled.

"Maybe they were attacked," I suggested hopefully.

He shook his head. "No they weren't."

I followed him as he stalked towards the two girls. They saw us right away. (Who is going to miss two naked people coming after them)?

"What the hell…," the blonde girl started to say.

Xavier sunk his teeth into her throat.

The dark haired one screamed and plunged a knife into Xavier's back. I knew he was fine and nothing could hurt him, but nevertheless I was furious. I charged at the brunette girl. She didn't even have the chance to scream as I tackled her gracefully.

My claws dug into her flesh. I had to drink fast before it all spilled out. It would have been worthless cold. Xavier had to pull me off of her body.

"Calm down," he whispered into my ear.

When I was finally able to be reasoned with, her body was shredded beyond recognition. I fell to my blood soaked knees. _I was a monster_. If I had done this to _her_, imagine what I did to Katharine. A shiver of disgust ran down my spine. Xavier touched my shoulders and pulled me to my feet.

"This only happened because you're young. You will be able to control yourself after a few years," he promised.

"Are you still hungry?" I asked, changing the subject.

"A little bit. One more person should do it," he started to look around.

"Okay," I got up and pulled him down the street. "There has to be more around here somewhere."

"Let's grab our clothes first," he pointed behind him with his thumb.

I looked down at my blood soaked body. "Yeah that might be best."

The sun was going to rise soon. We needed to feed quickly, and get back to the hotel. Xavier tossed my clothes at me. I tried to wipe the blood off me before I took them from him.

"Try not to ruin these," he smiled.

I smiled back a little, but today was one of the worst nights of my life. His head turned to the side. He finally noticed something was wrong with me. I tried to hide it quick.

"What's wrong?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Nothing, I was just thinking about something." I looked away as I pulled my jeans back on.

"Tell me," he whispered and cupped his hand under my chin.

"Later," I mumbled, not looking him in the eyes. I really wasn't ready to tell him what a monster I was.

"Okay," he sighed and took my hand once again.

We flitted down the grotesque street. Many different men and women walked the streets. Some were fighting and other's just seemed to not know where they were. I couldn't help, but laugh at some of their decisions.

"I don't think there is any more here." I tried to stop Xavier, but it didn't work too well.

"There is," he said simply.

I frowned, getting very impatient. I pressed on for him, though. More people passed in a couple cars, their stereos shook the glass on the houses. Junk cars lined the streets, and I was getting tired of having to look at them. There had to be someone somewhere.

"I'm about to give up," I mumbled. I wanted to crawl back into the bed's silk sheets.

"Shh," he murmured then stopped. He looked all around at the houses. Xavier suddenly turned to the left and dashed up the side of a diminishing house.

I'm surprised it didn't give away underneath him. I watched him curiously when he crouched on the edge of the roof and waited. I thought maybe something was coming for us, but after a few minutes passed it was clear that was not happening. I climbed to the top of a nearby truck, (that was less ugly than the others). I sat on top, cross legged. Xavier didn't look at or speak to me. He just sat there, staring in the same direction.

I sighed and leaned my head in my hands. "This is going to be a long night."

"Be patient." Xavier looked down at me. Then he smiled.

I scowled at him, and then stared up at the sky. It was getting bluer and lighter out. The sun was barely starting to rise. I could see a small amount of orange between the trees. We needed to do this before there could be any witnesses. I glared at him and sighed again.

In the nearby houses, I heard alarm clocks going off and the creaks of beds moving. Xavier noticed when one of the rooms lit up in the house he was crouched on. He stood slowly, his eyes never left mine and then he inclined his head towards the end of the street. I watched as a car appeared out of nowhere. It was going much faster than a normal person would drive. Xavier smiled at me and then flew off the roof, landing on the car at the precise moment it passed the house.

I smiled in amazement. How did he know it was coming? The car swerved into a corner of the house, but it only took off some siding. I watched as it flipped and landed in a small alleyway.

Xavier had the roof of the car torn into shreds. All I could hear was screams and gunfire. One very tall guy wiggled his way out of the back window. He started to run in my direction. I was off the truck, and had him by the throat in a fourth of a second.

He gasped and tried to reach for his gun. When that didn't work he tried to free himself with his other hand at the same time. I stared into his dark eyes. They were not fearful.

He looked like he was full of hate. Was that how Emilie could tell which ones were bad? Just as he reached his gun, I snapped his neck. I dropped him low enough so that I could drink from him, and then I tossed the body to the ground.

Xavier had bitten the second guy in the car. The guy screamed and thrashed at him. I happened to look and see something shimmer under the car. A woman was hiding behind the tires, her wedding ring flashed in the light. How'd she get out unnoticed?

The second body was now tossed aside. I got Xavier's attention, and made the woman's presence known. She screamed when he gripped her leg and slid her away from the tires. She picked up the knife that one guy dropped and tried to cut him.

Xavier held her up close to his face. I watched as his eyes glowed brighter. She stopped screaming and stared blankly at him.

"We didn't attack you or your friends," he began.

"Witches did!" I hissed at him.

He looked at me with one eyebrow raised.

"Just say it," I chuckled.

Xavier told her, and then hinted that she should run before she was next. The woman took off before he barely even set her down. She ran like she was being chased by a serial killer. I turned back to the car and Xavier was shoving the bodies in it. He walked over to collect the one I killed.

"Good job," he commented, appraising my appearance.

My clothes didn't have one drop of blood on them. I smiled with satisfaction. After all the bodies were inside the car, he threw it against the empty house it hit earlier. Instantly, it burst into flames. It startled me and Xavier laughed.

"Are you full now?" I asked, annoyed.

"Yes," he smiled. Then he ran back to the decent part of town.

I ran after him, but he was already on Main Street. I stopped shortly, almost running in to him. Xavier stood there with a phone pressed to his ear, and a look of panic on his face. He pressed a button and put the phone down slowly from his ear. The panic still showed on his face. I stared silently at him for a long moment before I found my voice.

"Xavier what is it?" I meant for it to come out in desperation, but I was barely above a whisper.

He didn't answer. He just stared at me with his mouth in a straight line.

"Xavier?" I managed to say a little louder, fear started to rise in my stomach.

Finally he blinked. "Let's go," he said urgently. He took me into the trees.

"What's wrong?" I asked. My heart would be going crazy right about now.

"No time," he said once as we raced through the trees and shrubs.

"Make time!" I yelled back, desperation now evident in my voice.

"We have to go back now," he said, dodging a car on the highway.

"Go back where?" I yelled, trying to keep up.

"Go back home. We need to find a car." Xavier leapt over a fallen tree.

I took his hand again when I caught up to him. "Why are we going back? I thought it wasn't safe?" I stared up at him, more worried than afraid now. "Why Xavier?" I asked again when I got no answer.

After we passed a grocery store, he happened to find a fast car to _borrow. _We were lucky. When the car was started I asked him again, but with more authority. Finally, he answered me.

"They are surrounded, and they don't think they're going to win the fight." He shook his head sadly.

"What! The vampires are attacking them?" I exclaimed.

"Not them personally, the wolves have found the house. We're sure they sent them, though. A dozen of them have broken in through the windows so far," he said while starting the car.

"How are we going to get there in time?" I asked with my voice thick from worry. "

"We will," Xavier tried to say confidently, but it came out sour. He drove as fast as the car would allow.

It looked like we were running with how fast everything blurred by. My nails were digging into the dashboard. I couldn't stop thinking of Emilie. She wasn't much of a fighter, but she was very good at getting away from people.

"Go faster," I commanded Xavier.

The pedal is all the way to the floor. I can't go any faster," he sighed.

I ripped my nails out of the dash, and started to bite them. Please don't let us be too late. An hour had passed and I had barely any nails left to bite. I sighed and stared at my nubs. I jumped when they grew back after a few seconds. I shouldn't be surprised, I thought dryly.

The hours went by like years. I would stop talking about what could happen to them. I could tell that I was getting on Xavier's nerves. And I knew he did not want to talk about the capture of his family. I just couldn't get it out of my head.

I gripped the door handle, ready to jump out when we passed the welcome sign to Rosewood. I knew we still had at least ten to twenty minutes left, but I was afraid. If I never saw Emilie again I didn't know what I'd do. She was the best friend I've never had. Sure I had friends, but none of them were like her.

"We're going to make it," Xavier smiled a little, but it didn't show on the rest of his face.

I nodded, still ready to bolt out of the car at any second. Only five minutes had passed and we were already on the other side of town. It was faster then I expected, however; it wasn't good enough. I couldn't help, but yell to hurry up.

"Drive faster," I told him again.

Xavier smiled a little then his face became serious. Please let Emilie be okay, I kept repeating in my head. I opened my eyes and saw Maple Avenue only a few streets away. I leaned closer towards the window. The stress was almost too much to bear.

The sun was now visible in the sky, but just barely above the hills. I stared at the orange, yellow, and blue streaked sky. I was trying to distract myself, although; it didn't last long. I immediately thought of Emilie again as he turned onto Maple Avenue.

"What if something…," I started to say.

"No," he interrupted me. "Nothing has happened to any of them." He said it more confidently this time.

As we approached the vine covered mansion, I thought Xavier was just going to stop in front. I was wrong. He never slowed down, and the car crashed into the right side of the mansion. We went straight through it, and I almost screamed in terror. We hit our heads against the glass and the wall crashed down in pieces around us. Out of the slowly settling dust, bright yellow eyes appeared, greeting us.

Xavier sprang, teeth bared, out the now broken windshield. His teeth sunk deep into the wolf's neck. More wolves came out of the darkness, the power must be out. I struggled in my seat a bit, and then I crawled over the glass covered hood. We were in front of the staircase, which was now covered in blood and it was missing parts of the railing.

"Where is everyone?" I called to Xavier as a wolf lunged at me. I stepped out of the way, causing it to hit the car. I smiled. It had knocked itself unconscious.

"Either upstairs or in the basement," Xavier grunted while he was in the process of throwing a wolf out the window. As soon as he let it go, he broke the jaw of another one.

Three more wolves jumped in through the shattered windows, knocking over the once beautiful furnishings. They howled and charged into me. In one swift movement, I extended my claws, decapitating all three of them. Xavier rolled over my back and snapped a wolf's neck, right before it tackled me.

"Thank you," I smiled at him while dodging another bite.

He nodded, and then ran up the stairs. Wolves came down and he threw them over the railing.

I assumed he went to go look for the others. The wolf in front of me growled and snapped. I hissed back and was about to attack, but the chandelier came crashing to the floor between us. Two wolves had jumped off the stairs, knocking it down. They were now behind me, and coming closer. I got up off the floor and shattered the left half of the wolf's body with a simple movement of my arm. A yell come from the living room, and I flitted down the hall to investigate.

"Emilie!" I exclaimed.

Wolves surrounded her as she wrestled with one on the floor. Behind me, the wolves were running down the hall. I shut the door right before they reached it. They were immediately breaking through, so I put a beam from the wall against the door knob. It would work for a few minutes.

Emilie had the wolf by the jaw, stopping it from biting her. "Victoria help me!" she yelled.

I stood above the wolf and snapped his neck. I was proud of myself for copying Xavier's movements exactly. Emilie was up in half a second, and smiled at me briefly. Then we turned to face our foes.

We stood there back to back defensively, waiting for the wolves that were coming towards us. Emilie took down four at once. I got two before the door burst open. I got ready for all the wolves to pour in, but Derrick flew in instead.

He killed the last five with a few punches and snaps of their necks. Derrick was soaked in blood. He must have killed all the ones that were on the other side of the door. I stared at all the scratches and bite marks on his skin…I felt so bad. Even though I knew they would just disappear later.

Emilie sighed and leaned her head against my back. "I'm so happy to see you."

I leaned my head against hers. "I know," I chuckled.

"Follow me," Derrick yelled over his shoulder.

I took Emilie's hand as we ran down the hall, dodging all the wolf bodies that were just starting to turn human. Derrick flitted up the stairs. I slipped on the chandelier glass as I turned to the stairs. Emilie stopped and pulled me to my feet. Of course, he went into the room I never wanted to see again. I sighed as Emilie pulled me into the torture room. Derrick locked the door behind us.

"Go ahead," he pointed to the stairs that I had fallen down almost a week ago.

Emilie half smiled and took my hand again. I remembered not to look at the torture wall to the right. Once down the stairs, I stared at the room. It wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered. Sure the concrete floor had old blood stains on it. Then the chair with arm and leg clamps still sat in the center of the room. It wasn't that bad with no one in it.

Anna sat in one of the chairs in the corner. Her clothes were torn up; dirt was on her face, and her hair was everywhere. She was hurt. She clutched her stomach tightly as Victor stroked her hair with an upset expression on his face.

Victor himself had just a small amount of blood and scratches on his arms. Neither of them noticed me, their eyes were only for each other. Amelia was a whole another story. She sat in front of the dark stone fireplace and stared at me.

Her usual perfect beauty was no more. I was shocked. I could barely recognize her. She looked as imperfect as a human, worse even.

Her once elegant gown was in shreds, and it barely clung to her body. Every bit of skin that showed was covered in blood. Amelia's eyes had never left mine as soon as I entered the room. It was probably the way her blood soaked hair was arranged wildly around her face, but she looked at me like she was going to kill me. I looked away from her to see Derrick there. That was probably why she was mad at me. Derrick had more blood and scratches than any of them.

"Where's Xavier?" I hissed at Emilie.

"Here," he called out behind me.

I whirled around and sighed in relief when he put his arms around me. Xavier had a few bite marks on his arms, but other than that he was fine. Amelia still glared as if she wanted to burn me alive. Everyone else just looked tired and grateful that we had arrived. Howling came from upstairs, startling me. Then loud bangs exploded from the door after it.

"We need to get out of here," Derrick muttered while wiping the blood off his face.

Everyone, (except Amelia, whose eyes never left me) looked at Victor. He looked down at Anna, who was still holding her stomach tightly. She nodded and gave him a tiny smile.

"We'll leave," he pointed to the fireplace.

I looked at the fireplace then back at Victor. Why was he pointing there? Victor walked over to the fireplace and pushed on one of the lighter colored bricks. The whole fireplace turned to expose a long cob-webbed brick tunnel.

Anna walked slowly into it, and Victor helped the rest of the way. Derrick pulled Amelia up and then led her to the dark tunnel as well. She gave me one last glare before she disappeared. Emilie waited to go at the same time as us.

"Don't worry about Amelia. She'll get over it eventually," Emilie muttered.

Xavier squeezed my hand and pushed me in after Emilie. Water kept dripping from the ceiling, and small rocks occasionally fell down.

"What's above this place?" I whispered to Emilie while staring up at it.

"The creek behind our house," she replied. Emilie stopped walking for a second, so she was next to me. "I missed you," she smiled and put her arm around me.

I chuckled. "I was only gone for three days." I hugged her back, but a little awkwardly since Xavier didn't let go of my hand. "I missed you too, though," I smiled warmly at her.

Someone gritted their teeth ahead of us, I assumed it was Amelia. The fireplace wall closed behind us with a loud slam, which echoed through the tunnel.

"It's supposed to do that," Xavier murmured.

"Oh," I sighed and relaxed from my stiff position.

"This tunnel will let out at that one field." Emilie commented.

"Which one is that?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Where we said our goodbyes," Emilie frowned at the memory.

"Oh," I frowned too. I hated saying goodbye. Xavier pulled me tighter against him and kissed the top of my head.

I saw a little light coming from the side of the wall. "Is that the way out?"

"Yes," Victor answered and started to pull it open.

The sun shinned in, blinding everyone. Then we all slowly filed out, one at a time. I walked ahead of Emilie and looked around. Most of the snow in the field had melted, and the river where we had skated was now running freely. Victor immediately took Anna into the woods. They disappeared in the thick shrubbery. Derrick told us to come with them as he flitted through the trees with Amelia.

"Come on Emilie," I called looking back at her. She was running behind us, keeping up easily.

I could barely see Amelia's dark hair anymore. They were going too fast. I was lucky that Xavier was leading me. Emilie ran next to us and dodged the branches just as fast as we did. We didn't notice the ground incline before it was too late.

Emilie and I screamed all the way down. Xavier hadn't made a sound, even when we fell flat on our faces. Emilie laughed as we struggled to untangle ourselves from each other. When we finally did, we took off running again.

Xavier jumped in between two trees, and then slid down a fallen tree trunk. I repeated him, and Emilie did the same. She ran into me, which caused us to tumble down another hill. In the wrong direction, I may add.

I landed hard on my back, and then Emilie fell on top of me. I sat up, rolling Emilie off of my stomach. No one came to see what happened to us. They didn't even notice.

"Em, do you know where there going?" I asked nervously.

"Not a clue," she got up and stretched. "Wow!" She looked up the cliff we fell down. "That's a long way up."

I staggered forward, still a little dizzy from the fall. I couldn't see anyone. "Hello," I called out. There were no answers.

"Aww," Emilie moaned. "My phones broke." She held up her small cell. It was split in two.

"Let's try to find them," I suggested.

She nodded and started to walk forward. The ground gave away and we both went down screaming again. I hit tree after tree. Thank god I couldn't be hurt easily. I spit out dirt after I tumbled into a bush. When I was finally on flat ground, I rolled over and spit the rest of the dirt out of my mouth.

"Emilie." I whispered hoarsely, my voice was still dry from the dirt.

"Over here," she called.

I saw her arm wave a little and then fall back against the grass. I stumbled toward her, dizzier than before.

"Are you alright?" I leaned against a tree and looked down at her.

"Yes," she sighed. Then she sat up and looked around. "Where are we?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

Emilie got on her feet and walked toward a huge group of trees. "There's a cave," she pointed between them.

"So?"

"So let's go." She took my hand.

The cave was covered in moss and the leaves of the trees kept it well hidden. I was surprised she was able to spot it. Emilie ripped the branches and moss away, showing a way in. I walked forward, looking around.

"It goes to the other side of the cliff." Emilie trudged past me. "We might be able to catch up to them, if we hurry."

I stepped over the fallen rocks and clutched the sharp rocky edges of the walls. "This is a very small cave," I muttered, almost tripping over another rock.

Emilie nodded and pulled her long hair into a ponytail. Then she started to complain about her bangs.

"You look fine," I chuckled. For a second time today, I was blinded as I came out of the dark cave. "I'm getting tired of this."

"Tired of what?" Emilie looked up at me questionably.

"Running, there's always something bad happening. I'm tired of being in danger," I complained in rushed words.

"I'm sorry," Emilie frowned. "It couldn't be helped. You were already set and stone to become one of us."

I brushed my bangs out of my eyes and sighed. "I know, and I like being one of you."

She had stopped walking and stared at me with her mouth agape.

"What is it?" I looked around to see if someone was about to attack.

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. I looked back at Emilie. Her shock had vanished and it was replaced with a wide grin. In one movement, she was in front of me, holding my hand up to her face. I had forgotten I was even wearing the ring, let alone married.

"I'm sorry I should have told you." I laughed a little.

"Yes," she agreed. "You should have." She glared for a second then laughed. "I have a sister I actually like!" she hugged me.

I laughed too as I hugged her back. When I opened my eyes again, a red brown wolf was standing ahead of us. I backed away from Emilie.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she turned around. "Oh," she said without moving her lips.

The wolf just stared at me, and then it slowly transformed into a human. Emilie crouched into a defensive position. I just stared as the person lifted their head.

"What do you want?" Emilie hissed.

My eyes went wide as she stepped forward. I saw her spiky hair, dark skin, and chocolate eyes. "Raya," I said in shock.


	12. Running

_Chapter 12._

_ Running_

Emilie had stood up and looked back and forth between us, confusingly.

"What are you doing here?" I stared at Raya in shock.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," she replied in her quiet voice.

"You're a werewolf!" I blurted out, unable to control myself.

"You're one of them." Raya's eyes looked me over, and then she started to scowl. She stepped a little closer to us. Her feet were bear.

Emilie side stepped in front of me, protectively.

"Yes," I agreed, not sure what else to say. Raya stared at Emilie darkly, and then shifted her eyes around nervously. "How long have you been like this?"

"Seven years," she breathed.

My mouth fell open. "And you never told me," I said unsettled while peering around Emilie's shoulder.

"I couldn't," she said simply and shrugged. "Who did this to you?" she asked, waving her hand at me.

"No one did." It was only a partial lie. "It was in my DNA."

Raya scowled. "I'm sorry to hear that." She glanced around nervously again.

"Are you expecting company?" Emilie narrowed her eyes at Raya.

She shook her head. "They are all fighting the other ones like you."

"What? Where are they?" Fear spread through my body like a wild fire.

"At the end of the woods," she pointed to the west of us.

I looked out to the wide mess of trees and hills. It was beautiful, although; it frightened me when I thought of how long it would take me to find them.

Emilie sighed and repeated her question from earlier. "What do you want?"

Raya picked up her clothes off the ground and put them on before she answered. "We were sent to attack you, but I was never into the helping vampire's thing."

"Then why are you here?" Emilie groaned, annoyed.

"I wanted to know why we were supposed to kill you," Raya explained. "Plus, I wanted to make sure nothing happened to my brother. He's the only family I have left," she added.

"Azeal is a werewolf too?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

Raya nodded slowly, and then shifted her weight to her right leg. "We both changed on the same full moon," she said thoughtfully. "I know I never told you how my parents died, but trust me you would have freaked before."

I nodded. "I understand. You killed them," I stated flatly.

"We both did that night. It wasn't on purpose. We couldn't control ourselves." She hung her head sadly, but never took her guard down.

"I'm sorry." I Understood that perfectly too.

Emilie backed up and stood next to me again. She must have sensed we weren't in danger.

"Can you show us where they are?" I asked.

Raya hesitated for a minute then sighed. "I suppose I could do that." She walked in the middle of the towering trees and seemed completely confident in where she was going.

I glanced at Emilie. She gave me a wary look, but said nothing. I followed behind her slowly. I knew I shouldn't worry. Xavier could handle himself, but I couldn't stand the thought of something happening to him.

"They'll be fine." Emilie sensed my discomfort and patted my back.

The deeper into the forest we went, the darker it got. I was really starting to worry. How much acreage was this place? Emilie kept frowning, was she worried or bored? Another ten minutes later, I saw her staring at my ring again.

"That must have cost a lot. I wonder why he took that much money with him," she babbled on to herself.

Raya looked back to see what Emilie was talking about. Then she smiled at me. "Congratulations." Raya half smiled.

"Thanks," I half smiled.

"Who's the lucky guy?" Raya asked curiously.

"I believe you met him the last time I saw you." Even though, I had no memory of it myself.

"Oh," she muttered. Then she said nothing else after that.

Emilie put her arm around me again. I guess that was her way of saying she missed me, or she was trying to show Raya that she was my best friend now. I stared at Emilie's pale face as I wound my arm around her waist. She didn't look jealous; usually it sparkled in her eyes if she was.

The trees and bushes around us were finally starting to get lighter. I smiled, pleased that I would see the sun soon. I've been in the dark far too much today. Occasionally, I caught Emilie glaring at Raya, (when she wasn't staring happily at my ring).

I didn't understand how she could hate her so much. After all, she wasn't the one who attacked them. Maybe it was just simple prejudice. I wanted to ask her, but Raya was only a few feet ahead of us and I'm sure werewolf hearing was just as good as ours.

"It's not much farther," Raya turned to look back at us. Something glinted in her brown eyes.

I wasn't quite sure what, but I didn't like it. I turned to Emilie. She was examining my ring again, so she didn't notice anything. I wanted to trust my old best friend, however; my self preservation was keeping me wary.

"How did he propose?" Emilie asked, distracting me.

I smiled at the memory and I saw Raya incline her head towards us. "He took me to a beautiful spot in the forest that he decorated with lights and roses. Then he sat me on a bench."

Emilie beamed and Raya smiled.

"Aww, I didn't know he could be so romantic. When's the wedding?" Emilie smiled at me as she asked.

I frowned. I knew this was going to upset her. "He took me to a church later that night. I thought maybe we could have a real wedding later," I added after seeing her face chagrin. "It wasn't my idea. He wouldn't even tell me where we were going," I told her, hoping she wouldn't be mad at me.

"I know," she replied emotionlessly.

I sighed and followed Raya closer, in case she disappeared on us. Emilie eventually noticed my worried expression.

She turned her head to the side. "What?" she mouthed.

I darted my eyes to Raya and back a few times.

"Oh," she mouthed again. Then she watched Raya more intently.

I was constantly sniffing and peering into the trees for any threats. I hated that my life had to be this way. Couldn't we go one week without a catastrophe?

"Victoria," Raya called over her shoulder, and then slowed her pace the match mine.

I heard Emilie growl quietly. "Yes," I smiled curiously at her.

"Did you hear about Katharine?" she had a sad tone to her voice.

I stiffened. "No. What about her?" I lied and waited to hear what damage I had done.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Emilie pondered while looking up at the leaves.

"She's my sister," I said blankly.

"Oh yeah," Emilie frowned.

"She was," Raya corrected while looking down at her feet.

"She died?" Emilie asked in surprise.

I stared blankly at the trees ahead of us, hoping my face was clear of emotion.

"Yeah," Raya answered her. "The funeral's in a couple days. I thought you should know," she sighed.

I had killed her. I was a terrible person. Oh yeah, I remembered …I'm not a person. I'm a monster.

"How did she die?" Emilie whispered, still frowning.

Raya stared at my face before she answered. "Her throat was slit and she was pretty cut up, or so I heard." Her eyes never left my face. "She had a large hole in the side of her neck. They couldn't believe she lived as long as she did."

I didn't look at her. I kept my eyes straight ahead and I almost tripped over a fern.

"Andrea witnessed the attack," Raya rolled her eyes. "You remember her?" she asked me.

I nodded, still unwilling to look at her. "I remember."

"What happened?" Emilie asked more curious now than before.

I wished she'd just drop it.

"Andrea was insane with fear," Raya shook her head. "She was yelling about a witch attacking and killing Katharine."

I blinked. At least I was sane enough to lead them away from the family. I peeked at Emilie. She was glaring at me, her eyes wide and her mouth was in a straight line. She knew, obviously. Raya was staring at her with a strange expression on her face. Emilie noticed and snapped out of it.

"I'm sorry," Raya whispered to me, and then continued to lead the way.

"When did this happen?" Emilie called to Raya, still glaring at me.

"Last night around midnight," she said.

Emilie yanked me to a stop. "Did anyone see you?" she hissed low enough so hopefully Raya wouldn't hear.

"I d-don't think so," I stammered, though the last thing I remembered was biting her neck. Emilie's hostility had caught me off guard.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Why were you even there? Did Xavier let you go?"

I groaned. I had hoped no one would ever know about this. "Xavier and I were shopping and Katharine showed up. When she started to flirt with him I got furious."

Emilie's face had tuned to stone and she stared straight ahead.

I wasn't sure if she wanted to hear anymore or not, so I decided to continue anyway. "She invited him to a party, so I took his invitation and made him fall asleep. I felt terrible about that," I sighed. "I went there with the plan of scaring her, but that didn't happen." I shook my head.

Emilie still looked the same. I wish Raya had kept her mouth shut.

"After I found her, I got upset. I got really angry and I must have blacked out since I don't remember anything else." I felt tears build up in my eyes. I was so ashamed of myself.

Emilie turned to me. "Don't ever go to feed alone again, not until you're a more experienced hybrid." She stared at me dead serious.

"Okay," I promised. I never wanted to lose control like that again.

She touched my shoulder. "Things will get better, I promise," she half smiled.

I wanted to believe her. To believe that my husband wasn't fighting for his life, or that our life wasn't falling down around us. But tragically it was.

She sighed, knowing I didn't believe her. "You're going to have to trust me," she frowned when I didn't respond. "Everyone's going to be fine," she added.

"Yeah we should be positive," I said as negatively as I could.

Emilie scowled and ducked under a low branch. I didn't notice we had started walking again.

Raya looked back at us. "I'm sure they're all fine. We werewolves are very easy to kill."

I was surprised she said that. I stared at her with my eyebrows raised. When Raya noticed she smiled at me.

"It's just beyond those pine trees," she told me.

We walked toward the trees to the right of us. I heard growling and felt the earth tremble beneath us. This was definitely the right place. I felt bad for not trusting Raya. I will owe her a favor in the distant future, I decided. Instead of just running out there like an idiot, we hid in the shrubs and watched.

I spotted Xavier first, mainly because I was worried about him the most. I watched intently while he took out five wolves at once. I truly had one remarkable lover. I took a quick glance at Raya. She didn't look upset or angry like I thought she would. She just sat there quietly watching while her kind got killed.

Anna was still holding her stomach, but it wasn't as bad. She and Victor tag teamed the wolves. Derrick took a group of them on by himself. He was killing them seven or eight at a time. He was enjoying himself immensely, I might add.

Amelia, who still looked like a crazed Neanderthal, was doing quite well for her state of mind.

"Should we help?" I asked Emilie.

She pursed her lips. "They look like they're pretty good without us," Emilie noted.

"Very good," Raya said, impressed.

"Okay," I whispered, not wanted anyone to hear me and lose their focus. The highway wasn't too far from the small clearing they were fighting in. I hope no one noticed them. I was going to voice my concern to Emilie, but more wolves appeared, distracting me. Every time they were close to being done, more wolves ran out of the trees.

"How can there be that many of them?" I asked Raya in shock.

"I think someone has been making more," she said just as surprised.

"How do you do that?" I turned to her extremely curious.

"A werewolf bites a normal person, and then they turn on their first full moon," Raya replied simply.

"Who would be making more?" I wondered aloud.

"Either a very high up there wolf or the vampire royals ordered it," Raya made a slight face.

"Probably the vampires," Emilie muttered.

I stared at Xavier as he flipped over a wolf and ripped out another one's heart. Raya made a sickened face, and I stared in disbelief. I didn't know that was possible to do. Anna held the neck of one as Victor took its head off.

Amelia was simply dodging them and then breaking their necks. Sometimes she bit them, but she was a very clean fighter, despite what her outward appearance looked like. Derrick, who was now completely soaked in blood, had finally stopped killing to make sure everyone was okay. Victor had finished off the last wolf, and they all stood there breathing hard. Xavier leaned against a partial tree trunk and closed his eyes. I wanted to go to him.

Derrick looked around. "Where are the girls?"

Anna blinked and looked around. "Have they not been here this whole time?" She turned to glare at Xavier since he was in the back of the group with us.

Xavier shrugged and a look of panic crossed his face. They all started to look around and call for us. Anna was more worried then any of them. Emilie walked into the clearing when her mothers worries grew more pronounced.

"Oh Emilie," Anna flitted to her, hugging her tightly.

"Can you stay here?" I asked Raya.

She nodded stiffly.

"Where's Victoria?" I heard Xavier ask, alarm high in his voice.

I stepped out of the bushes swiftly, but carefully. Xavier's head snapped up to the sound, and relief washed over his face. He was next to me as soon as I brushed the leaves out of my hair. I could feel everyone's eyes on us when he pulled me up into his arms and kissed me fiercely. When he set me down their reactions were not what I was expecting.

"Are you alright dear?" Anna stepped towards me and put her hand on my arm.

"Yes," I said slowly. I stared at the others behind her. They all had smiles on their faces, rather than fury…well except Amelia. But she didn't look angry, she just stared. I glanced at Xavier questionably.

"I told them," he smirked.

Anna had stopped holding her stomach. It must have healed, but blood still covered the bottom half of her silk shirt.

"Promise you will have another wedding later," Anna commanded. Then she stared at me with wide eyed.

"Yes," I said again and we both smiled at the same time. I'm glad they approved. Anna hugged me with one arm and kissed the top of my head.

"Good girl."

Xavier pulled me alongside him when they decided to keep moving. I turned and waved at the trees for Raya to come with me. When I was about to leave without her, she ran out.

"Who's that?" Xavier asked, staring at her.

The wind picked up, blowing her scent towards us. Then Xavier let out a low hiss.

"It's okay," I set my hand against his chest.

Raya stopped a foot in front of me and then Xavier relaxed when he recognized her.

"Come with us. I don't want any thing to happen to you." I tried to take her hand, but she pulled away.

"What about my brother? I still need to find him," Raya whispered.

"We could keep an eye out for him," Xavier suggested.

She shifted her weight nervously. "I don't know."

I really hoped her brother wasn't one of the many bodies that were lying around the house.

"He's not out here," Raya looked around at the wolves' bodies that surrounded her.

"Maybe at the house," I muttered cautiously.

"No," she shook her head. "I looked there too."

Relief swam through me fast. "I have no idea then," I shrugged.

"We're falling behind," Xavier pulled me towards the direction the others went.

"Okay," I told him. "Are you coming or not?"

Raya looked around nervously again. "Yes." She ran quickly behind us.

"Where are we going?" I yelled at Xavier after we jumped over a stream.

"Not sure, they were talking about going to the safe house earlier, though we aren't sure if it's safe there anymore." Xavier shook his head.

"Where's it at?" I tripped over a thorn bush, but he caught me before I fell.

"In the middle of this forest," he sighed, now holding my hand in case I fell again.

I glanced back at Raya every few minutes, making sure she was still there. Eventually she turned into a wolf so she could keep up easier. She had ripped part of her shirt off and wore it as a bandana, so we could tell it was her.

"Maybe we should all turn into wolves," I suggested to Xavier.

"Why?" Xavier asked, puzzled.

"It might be not so easy to spot us," I replied.

He processed that for a few seconds. "Interesting, but we're different than the other wolves."

"How is that?" I laced my fingers through his as we jumped over a hole together.

"Our fur is the color of our hair, and we're much bigger than the others," he explained.

Behind us, Raya was turning her head, interested in the new info.

"So I have black fur like you?"

"Yep," Xavier smiled.

"Then why does Amelia have red fur?" I asked, staring at the back of her dark curly hair.

"She dyes it that way," he whispered in my ear.

Amelia heard him, though. Then she turned slightly to let out a warning growl.

Xavier growled back, it was a deep menacing sound.

"She's a little over sensitive," he smirked.

"Why didn't she like her red hair?" I asked, my curiosity growing more with every second.

"She wanted to fit in. None of us have red hair, if you haven't noticed." This time he made no effort to lower his voice.

Amelia just ignored him, but she started to run faster.

"So turning into wolves wouldn't be a good idea?" I got so caught up in my own curiously I forgot my first question.

"Not at the moment, but it might be helpful later," he smiled.

"Where were you two?" Xavier asked when the sun had started to set.

"We fell…again, down a hill, and the ground broke under us. Then we tumbled down a cliff after that."

Xavier blinked. "Is that all," he smirked.

I smiled at him. "Yes, and after that was a lot of walking." There were a small group of trees in one spot. It looked very unusual compared to the other spread out ones. Is that the safe house?" I looked at Xavier.

"Yes," he pulled me faster, heading towards it.

The last bit of light was slowly going away. Orange and yellow lit the trees for a fraction of a second then disappeared. My ears perked up. I could hear all the night animals emerge from their day of slumber. An owl flew above my head and made its distinctive call.

The long slender trees twisted around each other in a way that was unnatural. There was a small meadow in the middle of them. Victor and Derrick told us to stay put while they went to check out the surrounding area.

Emilie wedged herself in between me and Xavier. "How could you get married without me?"

Xavier looked down at his little sister's pouting face and then it turned into a glare when she put her hands on her hips.

"I just couldn't wait," he smirked and then he put his arm around me.

Raya lay down next to us and rested her head on her paws. I was extremely tired myself. This seemed to be the never ending worst day of my life.

"You could have tried, or at least have called me. To tell me what you were doing," Emilie said.

"We were hiding out Emilie. No I couldn't have," Xavier sighed, annoyed.

She folded her hands across her chest and watched Victor and Derrick.

I leaned my head on his arm. Then I wrapped both my arms around it. "She'll forgive you some day."

He snorted. "Yeah that will happen. Perhaps if we have another wedding," Xavier looked at her face, "or maybe not."

I sighed. He was probably right. Emilie was extremely stubborn.

Derrick appeared ahead of us. "It looks clear. We're going in."

Xavier nodded. "Thanks, we'll head inside."

Derrick nodded once. Then he smiled a little at me before disappearing into the strange trees.

"Where's it at?" I stared at the trees Derrick had walked into. There was no door or anything indicating a house.

"It's underground," Anna answered, startling me. "I'm sorry." She squeezed my shoulder and followed after Derrick into the small meadow.

Raya made a small whining sound. I remembered she was claustrophobic.

"Don't worry you'll be fine," I told her with a smile. The light blue part of the sky was now gone, and darkness surrounded us. I couldn't see any stars. I bet it's cloudy. I hoped it wouldn't snow again.

"Ready?" Xavier asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Mmhmm," I nodded, lost in thought.

"What is it?" he smiled, yet he still seemed like he was suspicious of something.

I ignored him and walked through the tangled branches. They looked even stranger up close. In the middle of the meadow, part of the ground was sitting up like a trap door. Amelia and Derrick were stepping down into it when we approached them. Raya followed cautiously behind us, and then she changed back into her usual self.

After she slipped her clothes on, she sighed. "I can't go down there with you." She shook her head sadly. "I have to find my brother," she half smiled, and then stalked out of the meadow.

Xavier scowled. "You shouldn't have brought her."

I frowned. Couldn't I ever do anything right? "I needed her to show us where you were," I spoke quietly.

He was shaking his head when I looked up. "She's not your friend anymore, Victoria."

I said nothing. I didn't want him to know how much he hurt me. Xavier stepped ahead of me, dropping down the hole underneath the hatch. I thought about it for a second. Then I reached forward and slammed the hatch shut. I made sure no one would notice it, and I walked away, deciding to guard it. There were no wolves around yet, although; it didn't take much time for them to show up.

I was suddenly pulled back with a hand over my mouth.

"Are you insane?" Xavier hissed in my ear. Then he pulled me back into the meadow.

We dropped into the hatch and he put his hands on either side of my face.

"I couldn't think of a life without you." Xavier's fury had dissipated. His hands moved my head forward till our lips touched. His lips were soft and gentle against mine and when he started to get rougher, a wolf howled above us.

I jumped away from him, startled. At the same time, he was peering out the hatch. Then he slammed it shut.

"They didn't see us," Xavier wrapped his arms tightly around my waist.

"I'm sorry," I closed my eyes. I was sorry for everything.

He kissed me again. "Don't apologize. I lost my temper. I didn't want anything to happen to you or my family."

I wanted to tell him what I had done to my sister, to tell him what a tyrant I was. Then see if he still felt that way.

"Xavier, when we were at the hotel I did something bad I…"

He put his finger to my lips. "It doesn't matter. Our kind makes mistakes all the time when were young."

"I know but…" I started to say.

Xavier silenced me again and told me to follow him down the dirt tunnel. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I already know."

I stared up at him in shock. "You already know…Emilie," I hissed. She told him everything.

Xavier chuckled softly. "She didn't tell me anything. I followed you that night."

I was about to demand an explanation till I realized it. "You knew the whole time."

He smiled briefly then it turned into a frown. "I knew you were planning on going to that party as soon as you took the envelope from me."

I couldn't believe all my planning and making him pass out was pointless. "How did you know?"

"I saw the way your smile turned dark after you read the invitation, and I figured you'd be planning something," Xavier explained.

"You were just faking being mad then?" I asked, confused.

"Well I was angry about you not telling me much, but other than that yes," he smiled.

I shook my head in disbelief. The dirt hallway opened up and looked just like a normal home. I was too distracted to press for more information.

"Wow," I exclaimed. It was no mansion, but it had charm and a middle class person could definitely call it home. I was standing in the living room. Emilie sat on a large cushion in front of the TV. Then Anna was rocking in a chair across from her. The simple setting and the beautiful wood walls reminded me of a cabin.

Family photos of theirs were on the wall behind them. They completely covered it. The wall to the right had shelves filled with movies. Then a small computer sat on a desk across from it.

A tiny spiral staircase was in the corner, which leads to a decent sized dining room and kitchen. Very small to what I was used to, however; it could be worse. Xavier led me past all these places and through a wooden door off the short hallway.

"We're staying in this room," he opened the, (very large for this small cabin) door.

It was odd being in a home without any windows. I felt a little closed in, like I was in an interrogation room again. A queen sized bed was squeezed in the middle of the room. Then there wasn't much room for anything else. There was a small chest of drawers and a closet of equal size across from it.

That was it.

"There are clothes in both of those," Xavier gestured to the closet and dresser.

"If you knew about it why didn't you stop me?" I asked in confusion.

"I didn't think you were going to kill her," he said simply. "Then I got caught up in the crowd and lost track of you." He sounded a little upset about that.

"Yeah well I did killer her Xavier." I frowned at the memory. I decided this was not the appropriate time to discuss this. Not with the pretty white bed in front of us, anyway.

I shut the door with a push of my finger, and then gripped him by the collar. I crushed my lips to his and we landed against the bed. It was a little embarrassing when I remembered we were not alone in this little cabin. I covered my face and moaned.

"I'm never coming out again." I rolled over to my stomach.

"They won't say anything Victoria," Xavier rubbed my back.

"It's still embarrassing," I mumbled.

He smirked. "You don't think they've done it."

I looked up to see his eyebrows raised. "They have? I asked.

He nodded. "So you have nothing to worry about."

I smiled at him, hoping he wouldn't notice how fake it was. "Okay."

"Okay," he agreed and kissed me lightly on the lips.

Emilie burst through the doorway, the door slammed against the wall making a dent. I pulled the covers over myself.

"What do you want?" My eyes widened.

Emilie's eyes were wide and fearful, yet she had a hint of anger on her face. "She told," Emilie said coldly.

A snarl erupted from Xavier's throat before I even had time to comprehend what she said. He got up from the bed and stomped around the room. I blinked. I was still in shock.

"We have to run again," Emilie whispered.


	13. Missing

_Chapter 13._

_ Missing_

I moved away from Xavier, terrified that he would attack me with all the fury that was rolling off him. The closet and dresser were full of clothes like he said. I pulled out a maroon jacket and dark jeans. Xavier grabbed something similar, not really looking at it.

He put them on in a flash. Xavier didn't speak to me, which was good, though he did glare at me a few times. I couldn't say sorry. I had messed up big this time. I can only hope that he will forgive me.

Howls rang throughout the cabin and shook the walls. I flitted to the living room to find out what happened. A tiny door under the stairs was open, and they were all filing in one at a time. Xavier brushed past me to follow the others closely.

"Hurry," Anna uttered.

Emilie took my hand. "It's okay. He is just stressed from the situation. He still loves you."

I said nothing and walked into the small room.

"Where does this lead?" I turned to Emilie, who was locking the door.

"I don't have a clue," she frowned.

The others were cussing and arguing up ahead. Every time I got forgiven; I have to screw everything up again didn't I? I hung my head down sadly.

"Maybe I shouldn't be here Emilie," I whispered so Xavier wouldn't hear. He couldn't have been too far ahead.

"Don't say that!" She hissed with wide eyes. "I trusted her too… and I didn't sense any weird vibes. Usually, I can tell if they're good or bad," Emilie sighed. "It's not your fault," she continued, and then a sharp hiss came from the front.

I sighed. "Amelia?"

Emilie nodded and scowled. "She get's easily upset, especially when we can't live like normal people."

It was always me who had to interrupt her way of life wasn't it?

The small enclosed tunnel seemed to go on and on. Eventually the walls became dirt and it looked more like a cave. Xavier was only a few paces away. I wanted to hold his hand and apologize, but what if he rejected my touch? Derrick had stopped walking long enough so he could walk next to Xavier.

"Victor said this leads to Mahogany Lake," Derrick informed him.

"Where will we go from there?" Xavier said bleakly.

I wondered if he regretted choosing me.

"Haven't decided yet, but we need to feed," Derrick looked back at me for a moment.

Xavier nodded briefly then Derrick stepped back till he was in between Emilie and I.

"Don't feel bad Vic," he chuckled as he moved in closer to us. "Bad things happen to our kind all the time," he smiled a little and then wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "It was Em who screwed up last time." He turned to grin at her.

Emilie stuck her tongue out at him.

"You know you love me," he teased.

Emilie rolled her eyes, but smiled as he ruffled her hair. "Only because I have to," Emilie retorted.

"What did you do?" I asked Emilie when Derrick didn't say anything more about it.

"Oh, that's a long story," she sighed.

"We have some time, I think." I smiled at her.

"True," Emilie muttered.

I waited patiently for her to start. Well I pretended to be patient anyway. On the inside I was going crazy with curiosity. I almost wanted to scream out, _get on with it_.

"This was when I was much younger," Emilie began, "I was still a teenager in the nineteen-eighties."

Derrick looked back at us a couple times to laugh.

Emilie ignored him. "I know it's hard to believe, but I was even more irresponsible then I am now. I did a lot of stupid things back then, you know?"

I nodded.

"I really wanted to go to school and have friends. Be a normal person for the most part. My mom thought it was a great idea of course, but no one else agreed. I was angry with them so I went off on my own. I wanted revenge, which is never really a good idea," Emilie sighed. "I went to find the king and queen, stupidly."

"Why would you do that?" I gasped.

"I told you, I was stupid," Emilie replied.

"Tell her what happened next," Derrick smirked.

Emilie scowled.

"Come on tell her," Derrick urged.

"On the way there I met someone...a very handsome someone. I fell in love with him instantly and it was the biggest mistake of my life," she sighed. "His name was Vladimir and he happened to be the king's son. I didn't know that at the time, though."

"Is that the same Vladimir from the wedding?" I asked curiously.

"Yes," Emilie frowned. "There was more then one reason that I was so uncomfortable there. He told me he felt the same way about me and that he wanted to get married. I was more then willing. I brought him home to meet the family and that was when the chaos started. My family knew exactly who he was. I was the only one stupid enough to not figure it out."

"Everyone makes mistakes Emilie," Anna called from the front of the group.

"Well anyway, later that night there was an attack at the house. Wolves and vampires raided our home...one of us got taken away. The home was destroyed so we abandoned it and followed after the vampires. After many years we finally caught up to them and got our family member back. I won't say who it was because they would probably be mad. Victor had another house that had been safe for over a hundred years so we chose to go there. That's where we live at now, or did live," Emilie said sadly.

"I'm sorry Em," I whispered.

The rocky edged walls had finally come to a stop, however; there was nowhere else to go from here. There was just a dead end it front of us. I touched the wall and felt around for any type of secret switch. I didn't find anything.

"Do we go back?" I asked Emilie, worriedly.

"No," she smirked. "The door is on the ceiling."

I followed her gaze to the top of the ceiling, where a large rock sat.

"It's fake," she muttered when she saw my confused expression.

"When did you build this?" Anna asked Victor when he started to move the rock.

"About a few hundred years ago," he smiled.

Dust fell around us, Anna and Emilie started to cough. Victor hesitated and then leapt up to the surface. He reached down and pulled Anna up after him. Next Derrick went, and he did the same for Amelia. Claws were scratching hard against the ground, and my ears perked up just as the howls ricocheted off the walls.

All three of us looked back at the same time. Emilie and I took off towards the surface, also at the same time. The wolves were running towards us faster then lightning. Xavier took both our hands, and then he lifted Emilie up to Derrick first.

It wasn't really necessary. Emilie could have jumped herself, but we were all in a state of panic. After Emilie was on ground level, Xavier took me in his arms and jumped up to the ledge, barely missing the wolf's teeth. Outside, we stopped short. Of course, there was a trap there waiting for us.

The ring leader of this never ending circus now stood before us, smiling politely. The three pale figures stood silently in the darkness. The moon glared off their skin; making it whiter than snow. I glared at the female in the middle. Her light blonde hair blew around her face.

She glared at my third finger. Then she looked back and forth between us. Outside she looked calm, but I could tell she was about to explode. Xavier gripped me tighter against his side. He could sense her fury too. The two pale blonde males, I recognized as her brothers. They stood on either side of her, although; I couldn't recall their names.

"Hello," the longer haired one on the right spoke.

Olivia didn't take her dark eyes away from mine. They seemed much darker than usual. It was like she was looking into my soul. The short haired man on the left then spoke very quietly.

"You are very hard to get in touch with," he smiled.

Victor stepped closer to them, and looked back to check that we were safely behind him. "You could have come yourselves, instead of using dogs to do your dirty work!" He snapped.

The wolves automatically started to move in closer, (I hadn't noticed that they surrounded us in a circle). The short haired vampire held up a hand, stopping them in their place.

"Yes we could have, but how would have that been entertaining?" he flashed his sharp white teeth.

Victor hissed. Derrick did the same and pulled Amelia closer to him. Emilie never moved. She stood her ground. I could tell she was expecting a fight, but I was hoping it wouldn't come to that. I'm sure she was also angry with whichever one was Vladimir.

"You promised a truce," the longer haired vampire muttered softly, "now we'll have to take something else."

Xavier was gripping me so tight that I felt like I was going to be split in half.

"It's okay," I tried to loosen his grip.

"No it's not," he whispered, but he did loosen his grip.

"What would that be?" Victor asked between his teeth.

"We'll let you know when we decide," Olivia said, breaking her silence.

By her tone you could tell that she already knew exactly what they were planning. Her brothers looked at her strange, but she ignored them.

"Oh wait…," she glanced around. "I already have decided something."

We all cringed waiting for the worst. Except Emilie; she didn't even appear to be breathing. Olivia waved her hand in front of us in a bowing movement. Then she smiled very arrogantly. The circle of werewolves moved in closer. Once again, their muzzles pulled up, exposing their extra sharp teeth. The three of them disappeared into the fields of corn and trees.

"They know we can't die. This has to be a distraction," Derrick said as he dropped into a defensive crouch.

Victor was unable to give his opinion. He was still upset from the exchange. His body hunched over the ground as he changed into a wolf. His fur was black with slivers of silver throughout.

Derrick nodded once and changed instantly. One by one we all changed, even Emilie. Anna had done so last. She was the same dark shade as Xavier and I. The wolves were taken back by this, although; it only made them pause for a second. Then they charged.

Derrick bit into the neck of the first two, taking them down easily. Victor tackled another that was headed for Anna. Emilie ran in between two, making them collide. That was to get to a third one so she could bite into its side. Amelia was graceful as always, dodging them until one attacked her. She rolled on the ground to get it off her back then Derrick finished it off. When I turned to face ahead of me, two wolves pinned me to the ground.

Snarls erupted out of my chest, and then that familiar blood lust swept over me. I threw the wolves across the rocks and they landed at the edge of the lake. In the fraction of a second, I was out of the battlefield and racing through cornfields instead. I sensed someone closing in behind me, so I veered to the right. Then I went to the left, hoping to lose whoever it was. They didn't lose my path for one second.

The delicious scent that compelled me made it very difficult to think clearly, and get away from my pursuer. It was all I could think about. I was only partly aware of the presence behind me. The howl that uttered out of, (she or he) made it official. I couldn't let whomever it was have what I needed. The cornfield came to an end at last, and in front of me stood an old barn. I ran inside and jumped over the haystacks.

I sniffed the air lightly. The smell was now only a mile away, however; I still had not gotten rid of my follower. I had to beat the wolf to it. Something slammed into my side, and I rolled across the grass until I hit the bottom of a tree trunk. A dark black wolf stood across from me. Its green eyes glared into mine with intensity.

Xavier I realized, but that didn't stop me from snapping at his throat. My teeth missed my target by mere inches. He had moved to the side and crouched behind me. I flipped around, my growls growing louder and louder. Then he changed.

"Victoria you can't run off on me like that. What if something happened to you?" he said.

The scent had dissipated long enough for me to comprehend what he was saying. I managed a single nod.

"We shouldn't have left them," he looked back anxiously.

The moment he looked away, I took off. Almost there, I repeated in my head.

"Victoria you need to control yourself!" Xavier called, now almost half a mile away.

In the back of my head, I heard him and I knew what I was supposed to do. Apparently, the rest of my brain didn't register it. The trees and an old farm houses passed by in a blur. A few horses scampered away from my nearness. I thought about chasing them, but then the smell hit me again. A man and woman were putting up a scarecrow. The woman was dressed in a god-awful flower printed dress.

She had on green galoshes to match it …_awful_. The much older man wore blue overalls and a straw hat, but neither of them had the scent I was looking for. A brawny man in a truckers' hat and sleeveless plaid shirt did. He was driving a large bulldozer, aimed at them. I had lucked out with this one. He was truly a very evil man. The older couple turned and flinched back in terror as the truck sped up towards them.

I charged forward, passing the wide eyed couple. Then I jumped on the front of the bulldozer, which caused it to swerve to the right. It grazed her hideous dress, but they were otherwise fine. The man in the bull dozer was cussing up a storm at me. He reached behind him and pulled out a shot gun, aiming it directly at my head.

Xavier landed on the top of the roof, shaking the bulldozer. The man dropped the gun, startled for a moment. I then jumped to the left and into the passenger side window. The bulldozer crashed into the side of a silo. The sweet scent was now gone and the ravaging hunger in my stomach had ceased. The man slumped over in the seat, dead.

Xavier was standing outside of the bulldozer when I hopped out. He was a wolf again, but I could still tell that he wasn't happy with me. The older man now had a shot gun and he was walking toward the collision. The woman was peeking behind the screen door of their house.

Xavier nodded his head towards the corn fields. I nodded back and we ran off just as a shot was heard. We passed through the cornstalks, dirt flying back beneath my paws. It felt great to be free with the wind running through my fur and the cold air filling my lungs.

With the painful hunger now gone, I could be myself. Xavier looked back at me once in awhile, probably making sure I didn't run off on him again. I felt bad for leaving him, but he should understand that I have little to no control. The corn disappeared and it was replaced by trees.

In between them, the sun was beginning to rise. Xavier started to run faster and I tried to keep up, but I was still a little rusty. I could hear Derrick and Amelia arguing in the distance. It appeared to be about the current situation, obviously.

Xavier stopped and I ran right past him. I slid across the dirt, turning back to him. He was in vampire form again, smiling at me. In his arms were our clothes.

"I thought it would be a little embarrassing going out there like this," he gestured to our naked bodies.

I relaxed till I was standing on two feet. I smiled at him as he tossed my clothes at me. Once we were dressed, the arguing had stopped and we entered the clearing. Anna greeted us with a hug.

"Where did you run off to?" she glared at me, very upset.

"Had a wolf urge," Xavier told her while rubbing my arm.

"Oh," Anna frowned. "We need to help you more with that."

"Not right now," Victor sighed, he seemed a little more relaxed.

"Oh no of course not right now," Anna agreed quickly.

Emilie skipped next to me. "Feel better?"

"Yes," I sighed, glad to have the hunger gone. "Do you?"

She nodded. "Much."

I leaned against her, staring at all the dead werewolves that covered the ground.

"Shouldn't they change back to humans when they die?" I muttered to Emilie.

"Not till the light hits them," she replied, staring at them in disgust.

"Why would they do anything for the vampires?" I asked her again. Hopefully, she wouldn't be too annoyed by my questions.

"I guess either they offered them something or they hate us so much they're willing." Emilie shrugged. "Or maybe some other reason …I don't know."

Xavier pulled me against his chest and kissed my cheek. "We haven't had much time for just us." His nose brushed against my hair.

"We will eventually," I turned to press my lips against his.

"I know I'm just getting impatient." He half smiled then kissed me again.

"Maybe we'll get out of trouble for a day," I said doubtfully.

"Maybe," he didn't sound too convinced either. "That's not too likely to happen, though. Not with you around," he smirked.

I scowled at him, but found it a little funny and smiled. Amelia walked up to me. I tried my best not to look surprised. Maybe she was going to kill me. She picked up my left hand to examine my ring. Then she looked up and smiled.

"Perhaps I can learn to get along with one sister," she put down my hand.

I smiled back at her feeble attempt to be nice. "I would like that."

That was the best I could come up with. Amelia turned away mumbling some reaction to what Derrick had said.

"See I told you she'd get over it." Emilie nudged me with her elbow.

"We have to keep moving," Victor announced.

Xavier nodded. "There's one last safe place left," his hand gripped mine.

"Where is that?"Emilie looked over at Xavier curiously.

"We shouldn't talk about it. Let's just go," he suggested, looking around anxiously.

"Good idea," Derrick commented.

Anna pulled Emilie and I ahead of her, she obviously thought we could get separated again. Xavier followed behind while Derrick and Amelia stood on either side of us. I reached behind myself for his hand, and then sighed when his fingers touched mine. Anna had gripped both our arms tightly. I was surprised she cared about me so much.

Amelia smiled every time she caught me looking up at her. I never realized how tall she was before. I knew she was tall, but not that tall. Amelia had to be at least six feet and Derrick wasn't much taller. Emilie and I looked like midgets next to her.

"How was your honeymoon?" Amelia turned to me and asked suddenly.

"It was very …romantic," I struggled to find the right words.

Amelia waited patiently.

"And a little competitive," I finished.

She laughed a light flutter. "Now that sounds more like Xavier."

I smiled, shaking my head a little. "Yeah that's pretty much it."

I stared ahead at Victor's back, worried that she would be able to tell I was hiding something. After we got around the very large lake, they stopped.

"What are we doing?" I asked, turning to Amelia.

"This is where it is," she replied slowly.

We were standing on the edge of the lake. "Where is it?" I asked, confused.

Amelia put her finger to her lips. "Shhh," she whispered. Then she pointed past the rocks and into the trees.

Anna's arm moved to around my shoulder and I could feel Xavier's breath blowing against my neck. He moved a little closer to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I scowled when I saw the pale hair and skin.

"You survived," he stepped closer to us.

We all took a step back out of habit. You never know what could happen.

"You should know it was not our intention to harm anyone." He had his hands behind his back. His speech was very formal and I didn't believe a word of it.

"Sure," Victor said blankly.

I wondered where Olivia and the other one went. I tried to look around, but it was impossible with the way we were grouped together. Everyone's face was grim and emotionless. I stared at the small orange area of the sky. They couldn't be out much longer could they? …Oh yeah they could.

"We were hoping we could compromise somehow," the long haired brother said, still very formal.

Their parents had to have set aside everything and teach them this strange formal curtsy, which they all possessed.

"What exactly do you want Vladimir?" Victor asked carefully.

"Possibly nothing more than what you have offered before," Vladimir smiled.

Emilie growled at him.

"We only have one left and I don't think we could put anyone through that again," Victor shook his head grimly.

"That's too bad," Vladimir frowned. "I suppose we'll have to go ahead with what we decided then," he nodded to us, and then walked away back into the trees.

"What does that mean?" Anna turned her head sharply to Victor.

"I don't know," he sighed in defeat.

Amelia was staring at the ground, her expression was unreadable. Xavier's arms wound tighter around my waist. I looked back at him, fear evident in my face. His face wasn't much different from mine.

Emilie was leaning against Anna's shoulder, she was about to pass out. It has been a long two days. Everyone needed food and sleep. I almost collapsed thinking about it.

"Search the area," Victor commanded to Derrick. "Make sure no one's watching us."

Anna kissed the top of Emilie's head. "We'll get to a bed soon sweetie," she rubbed her back.

Amelia jerked her head up from the trance she was in. "Follow me," she walked towards the edge of the water. Slowly Amelia stepped into the water.

It was a little odd that she was wearing her heels. I would have taken them off. Anna towed Emilie over to the water.

"You need to swim," Anna whispered in her ear.

Amelia swam out into the water. "Come on," she called out to us.

I looked at Xavier in confusion. "It's underwater?"

He laughed at the weird face I made.

I scowled. I was in no mood for a swim. We followed Amelia after Emilie and Anna were already in the water. I wasn't cold, but I didn't appreciate being wet. Emilie didn't seem to be particularly happy about it either. Once Amelia got to the middle of the lake, she stopped and turned to us.

"Follow me to the bottom of the lake," she pointed downwards.

Amelia dove into the water and Emilie followed immediately after her. Anna smiled at me then went down too.

"Let's go," Xavier pulled me under the water with him.

It was dark and deep. I wanted to fall asleep in the middle of the lake. I had to keep shaking myself. At the bottom, Amelia opened up a metal lid that was covered in mud and seaweed. With a great deal of effort I assume, Amelia pulled herself into the metal shoot. The rest of us followed after her.

After we were all in, Amelia closed the metal door or whatever you call it. Then a small alarm went off, startling me. The water slowly drained down till we were sitting on the floor. That was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced.

I gasped for my breath as soon as the water went below my mouth. Everyone around me did the same. Anna reached for the now visible metal door on the side of the tank. She stumbled out into a room.

I jumped down, my shoes made a cracking noise against the light tile flooring. I ran my fingers through my tangled wet hair, attempting to brush it back. My sweater hung heavily from all the water. I groaned and threw it to the floor. Amelia flicked on a light switch, but it didn't work.

"No one's stayed here in years. The electricity must need some maintenance," Anna ran her fingers across a painting, (I think) and scowled at all the dust.

"Someone needs to turn on the oxygen," Amelia said as she fiddled with the electric panel.

Xavier pushed his dark hair back fast enough for me to get water in my face. Xavier laughed till he saw my grimace. Then he smiled apologetically. We both turned when the metal door opened again. Victor and Derrick trudged across the dining room, flinging water all over everyone.

"No one was around," Derrick muttered while he squeezed the water out of his shirt.

I walked into the kitchen. It looked like one you might see on a beach house. It was very clean and simple. I ravaged through the fridge. I don't believe there was one thing left in it.

"How did this stuff survive?" I asked Anna, who was making herself something on the stove.

"We put it in here a couple days ago. The electricity was working then," she frowned.

"You suspected something?"

"Emilie did. She has a nag for that kind of thing. Where did she go anyway?" Anna looked behind her. Everyone was in the dining room, but Emilie.

"I bet she found the nearest bed and passed out," I smirked.

"Probably," Anna smiled then sighed. "I am in very much need of a bed also."

I nodded while I shoved more chips in my mouth. Then I washed them down with some kind of juice.

"Where are the bedrooms at?" I mumbled with my mouth full.

"There all upstairs. I'm sure there is enough for everyone as long as you share with Xavier," she smiled at me.

"Yes, I planned on it," I chuckled. I swallowed my food. "How did Victor turn?" That question randomly popped into my head. I had been curious about it since day one.

Anna poured the soup into a bowl and took a few sips before she answered. "I don't know everything, but three hundred years ago he was attacked by a vampire. After that he ended up working for the Reneflauses. They did tests on him, which ended up turning him into a hybrid." Anna finished was remained of her soup.

"Victor managed to escape from them and has been hiding ever since. But they created others after him to be able to test them." Anna shook her head sadly.

I stared at her very curiously while reaching behind me to shove more food in my mouth. I didn't care what it was. Xavier took my food out of my hand and ate it. Then he kissed my cheek.

"Thanks. What are you talking about?" he smirked.

"Victor," Anna handed him a bowl of soup.

I looked at his new clothes. "Where did you get those?" I asked, gripping the end of his dry shirt.

"Our bedroom," he said after he swallowed.

"Did you see Emilie up there?" Anna turned to him.

"No, she's probably asleep," Xavier leaned against the counter. Their soup was gone in seconds.

"Where did all the other hybrids come from then?" I asked Anna when she handed me the last bowl.

"Victor created a couple. Then I guess they did the same, and so on." She gave me a strange smile.

I remembered I wasn't wearing a shirt. "Which bedroom are we staying in?" I asked Xavier desperately.

"Follow me," he took my hand and led me past everyone in the dining room.

The family room was much like the kitchen. It had the same pale blue and white color designs. It also had a small white staircase that lead up to a bathroom and four bedrooms. Ours was the one closest to the bathroom. It too mimicked the rest of the house. I ran to the closet and pulled out a tight long-sleeved black tee and blue jeans. My hair was very irritating, so I pulled it back into a ponytail.

I yanked back the covers of the blue bed. Xavier was next me right when my head hit the pillow. I snuggled in closer to him and drifted off when his arms slid around me. I dreamed of wolves and running. Then later a bull dozer appeared in random places. The last brightly colored thing I saw was my family...my new family.

Everyone was there smiling as I walked down the aisle. I had never been happier. Xavier waited for me at the end of the white carpet. White and red rose petals blew around the entire room. I passed each of their smiling faces.

Anna, Victor, then Derrick and Amelia were in each row. Katharine was standing behind them, a dark smile curved on her face. I cringed away from her, wasn't she dead? As I reached Xavier, he took my hand in his. I noticed something was wrong. Someone was missing.

I turned out to the crowd to see my families smiling faces and Katharine's evil glare, but something was just off. Was it just me or was Katharine paler than normal? The rose petals blew more fiercely across the room. They got tangled in my hair as it blew back.

Where was Emilie? I searched through all the unfamiliar faces. She wasn't here. Katharine's smile turned into a wide grin and I sat up straight in bed.

Xavier was still asleep in the same position I last saw him in. I hung my head in my hands while I tired to breathe normally. It was more of the thought than anything. I knew I wasn't really at a loss of breath, but that dream was one of the strangest I've ever had.

The safe house was silent as the grave. Everyone must have finally passed out. I needed a drink. I carefully slid out of bed and tip toed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Xavier said sleepily.

I smiled. Of course, he always notices when I'm gone.

"I'm just getting a drink," I told him and went out the door. Anna was quietly cooking in the kitchen when I walked in. "What time is it?" I asked while looking around the kitchen. They finally got the electricity working.

"Its 8:30 in the morning," she flipped a pancake over.

"Is Emilie up yet?" I asked, my vivid dream still wreaking havoc in my head.

"I don't think so," Anna said over her shoulder.

"Which room was she staying in?" I asked as I chugged the water. Then I ran up the stairs.

"The last one on the end, since we took all the others," she replied.

I tapped on the door. "Emilie?" No answer. I hoped she was deeply asleep. "Emilie?" I called a little louder and knocked again.

I opened the door slowly when she still didn't answer. My heart would have stopped if it were beating. The bed was empty. The sheets didn't seem to have been touched and the room was covered in dust. I told myself not to panic and that maybe she went to the bathroom. Or I missed her going down the stairs. That didn't seem very likely, though.

The bathroom door was open and no one was inside. I ran back downstairs and looked though every room. She wasn't here. Before I alarmed Anna, I ran up to my bedroom and slammed the door.

Xavier jumped up to the sound. "What happened?" he asked with wide eyes.

I'm sure my eyes were filled with tears when I collapsed against his chest. It only alarmed him more.

"What's wrong Victoria?" his hands rubbed up and down along my back.

"I don't know what to do," I sobbed on his shirt.

"Do about what?" he asked anxiously.

"Emilie's gone! Someone must have taken her."

Xavier got very still beneath me. I really didn't want to break the news to Anna, but I needed to go look for her. Xavier unfroze, pulled me out of the room, and then downstairs.

"Mom," he called.

Anna turned around startled. "What is it?"

I looked down at the floor. I didn't want to see the pain on her face.

"What is it Xavier?" she repeated.

Xavier sighed. "Emilie's gone."


	14. Ghost

_Chapter 14. _

_Ghost_

The house was filled with yelling and loud footsteps from everyone direction. I stood by the metal door, waiting for Xavier, (very impatiently). Every second we wasted, the farther away Emilie would get.

"Xavier!" I hissed for the third time.

"I know Victoria…," he yelled. He was helping Derrick with some kind of weapon.

For a distraction, I asked what the weapon was for.

"It's an easy way to kill a vampire," Derrick said grimly.

"I don't understand how this happened," Amelia shook her head. "She was in the water with us." Her eyes were glazed over.

I had never seen her emotional before, unless you counted anger. Victor was in the kitchen trying to control Anna's hysterics. I felt partly responsible. I should have noticed that she wasn't with us last night. I should have made sure she was asleep in the room. Someone had her, and I could only hope that it was true that they didn't know how to kill us yet.

"How does it work?" I asked Derrick.

"These arrows shoot out of here," he pointed to the large barrel in the front of the gun shaped weapon.

"What's so special about them?" I touched the tip of one of the small arrows, it bounced back and forth.

"They are filled with holy water and are coated with silver." Derrick carefully placed them in the crossbow.

That explained why he was wearing gloves. I backed away from the arrows; surprisingly I wasn't burned when I touched them.

"I thought silver only hurt werewolves." I turned my head to the side in confusion.

"It hurts vampires on the inside not on the outside," Xavier replied.

"Oh," I muttered. Then I sat on the loveseat next to Amelia.

Amelia had her head hung in her hands. I put my hand on her arm, not really sure how to comfort her. I needed comforting myself. She didn't reject my touch nor did she notice it. I frowned and Xavier pulled me to my feet.

"We're going to sniff around," he said to Victor and Derrick.

I would have laughed if I wasn't so upset. They nodded and I headed to the metal door, only to be pulled back around.

"We're not going that way," Xavier told me.

"There's another way out?" I said quietly.

He nodded once and pulled me across the dining room. We turned to the left, once we got up the stairs. Xavier pushed back a small panel on the wall.

"It's here," he mumbled.

I waited while he typed in a number code on the computer next to us. The wall opened, exposing an elevator. I stepped in after him; peering up above me. The dark elevator walls seemed to enclose me.

"Why didn't we go down this way?" I asked as he pushed the button. Then the doors closed on us.

"You can't open it from the outside, only from here," Xavier checked his cell. There were no messages.

"That was their plan," I said through unmoving lips.

"We don't know that for sure. It could have been anyone," Xavier told me.

"I doubt it," I shook my head.

"We'll see if they left a trail or scent behind before we go jumping into conclusions." He leaned against the side of the elevator.

"Alright," I agreed unwillingly.

"We'll find her," he said to me more confidently.

I wish I had that much confidence. All I could think of was how many different ways they could be torturing her.

"Okay," I mumbled.

Xavier could tell that I wasn't convinced, but he let the matter go.

"We will search around the lake first. Derrick and Amelia are looking in the water," he told me after the elevator had come to a stop.

The doors opened up. We were a few feet away from the lake. The elevator was hidden in a huge rock and its doors closed when we walked out. I immediately started to jog around the lake, searching the ground and sniffing the air for any sign of her. Xavier copied me, but he did it the other side of the lake. I couldn't help calling her name every few minutes.

I saw Amelia splash to the surface of the water. She glanced at me for a brief second then dove under again. Xavier was going at a faster pace than me. He checked the trees and the rocks, making sure nothing was left unnoticed.

My emotions were taking a toll on me. I struggled to notice things. All the rocks just looked like normal rocks. It was the same with the trees, even the air smelled normal. No one supernatural had been here, so maybe that ruled out my theory as well. I sighed and sat down on a nearby stump. How did they take her out of the water without us seeing them?

I watched Xavier walk through the trees, and he double checked each one. Hopefully, Amelia or Derrick will find something in the water. Maybe if I would have left like I meant to none of this would have happened.

Clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun, so it was a little more difficult to see everything. I was glad it was nice out, though. Usually it's a lot colder here during winter. Xavier sat down on the stump next to me. I didn't even notice him approaching me.

"Did you find anything?" I asked slowly, already aware of the answer.

He shook his head and sighed. "Maybe you were right. Vampires are very good at hiding their trail."

I leaned against his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me.

"Should we look around the woods?" I asked.

Xavier nodded. "Victor and Anna are searching that side. We could do this side," he pointed behind us with his thumb.

"How is she?" I asked, surprised to hear she was composed enough to search.

"Better, but still not all there," Xavier mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"Let's go," I looked over to the forest and pulled him with me.

The clouds moved away from the sun, allowing me to see two pairs of footprints in the soft dirt.

"Xavier!" I pulled him to a stop. "Look!" I yelled while pointing to the ground.

Xavier bent over to examine them. "They were wet. That's why there so visible," he looked up at me with a little bit of relief in his eyes.

We took off running to follow the footprints. They became very stretched out, which means they were running too. After awhile we came to a very familiar farm with a bull dozer stuck in the silo. The older couple was talking to the police. There was a lot of arguing between them. They didn't have a chance at seeing us, even with the sun shinning brightly in the sky above.

Xavier pulled his phone out of his pocket then hit the speed dial. He briefly told someone about our lead, and I believe they were coming with us. I was starting to get worried as we went through another cornfield. The footprints were almost non-existent.

"They started to dry off at this point." Xavier slowed down and started to jog again.

Whoever took Emilie had stopped running as well. Were they close to their destination? The last set of footprints ended in the middle of the forest.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked. My thoughts drifted back to Emilie being tortured. It had to be them, who else could it be?

"I don't know," he said, defeated.

The branches swayed from side to side across the forest. I sat on the second highest branch of an oak tree, watching them. Sunlight beamed across my skin. It was noon, although; I didn't need the sun to tell me so. My stomach had that job covered.

Everyone argued below me, which made it a little easier to ignore the growls of my stomach. Anna was in hysterics, she was leaning against a tree hyperventilating below me. Amelia had given up attempting to comfort her. She decided to watch Derrick, Victor, and Xavier argue instead.

I leaned on the tree trunk and stretched my legs out. We were never going to find Emilie at this rate, not with all this fighting. Cloud's passed by over my head, blocking out the sun again. I made meaningless shapes out of them.

After I spotted a man walking a dog, a rose, and then various torture devices, I looked back at the trees. A hand touched my shoulder, and I jumped. The movement almost made me fall out of the tree. Amelia caught and steadied me then she sat down.

"Sorry," she smiled apologetically, biting down on her perfect lip.

"It's okay," I said loud enough to be heard over all the yelling below. Amelia was still wet from her morning search. "Did you find anything at all in the lake?"

Amelia shook her head slowly, her face unreadable. "No nothing."

We sat there in silence, staring out at the thriving forest. A few birds flew out at us, distracting me from my questions for a moment. I wanted to search more for Emilie, but Xavier would be upset if I left alone again.

"Who do you think took her?" Amelia asked, not looking away from the trees.

"Olivia," I said without thinking.

Amelia seemed to agree with my statement. "It could have been Vladimir or Nicholas also," she turned to me.

I blinked. Oh that's what their names were. I considered that, or perhaps it was all three of them. Maybe even the king and queen, themselves.

Down below, Xavier had suggested they split up again since the footprints were gone. Then they could find another lead. I just think he was just tired of the arguing. Of course, that had ignited a whole new argument. Anna had finally calmed down and was silently watching them.

"They are wasting time," I groaned to Amelia. "What if they have found a way to kill us?" I shuddered at the thought.

"We wouldn't be alive now if they had," she noted.

"True," I muttered while staring out to the lake. Everything looks so peaceful from up here. Farther away, I saw the river running in between the pine trees. It was the same river Emilie and I skated on. I felt tears leak down my face and I quickly wiped it away before Amelia saw. "I think we should just go without them. Do you want to?"

Amelia's eyebrows raised then she turned her head to the side. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea. And with me here you won't get into trouble for doing it."

I got up fast, making myself unsteady. We both held onto the branch above us, trying not to fall.

"Let's not do that again," Amelia scowled.

I nodded in agreement, trying not to laugh. We carefully climbed down the tree. I'm sure even if we knocked the tree down they wouldn't have noticed. Amelia and I ran in the direction, in which the footprints had ended. She ran slow enough for me to keep up.

"The Reneflauses know better than to leave a trail behind, but the younger ones tend to be a little sloppy," Amelia called to me.

I kept sniffing the air and checking the ground for anything unusual.

"I have something," Amelia put her hand in front of me.

Then we stopped running.

"What is it?" I asked excitedly.

"A scent," she murmured.

"Which scent?" I sniffed the air again.

Amelia held a piece of cloth in between her long fingernails. "This," she handed it to me.

The small white piece of fabric didn't smell like Emilie, but it was very familiar. "Who is it?"

Amelia shrugged. "I have no idea," she sighed. "At least we have a scent to follow now."

I sniffed the cloth again, and then we both ran in the direction of the very deluded smell. The once white clouds were starting to merge with the dark grey ones.

"It's going to snow," Amelia frowned. "We have to hurry. The snow will remove all traces of it." She ran at full speed.

I tried my best to keep up, which I was a lot better at doing now. Amelia smiled at me, proud that I was finally getting better at being a hybrid. The scent led past the river. I stared at it wishing Emilie was standing next to me. Why didn't I pay better attention? Amelia called me, snapping me out of myself loafing.

"It goes back to the house," Amelia stared at me with a strange expression on her face.

"Are you sure?" I followed her gaze, and she was right. It appeared to head straight for the mansion.

"Should we go there or is it too dangerous?"

I waited while Amelia stood there in silence. It looked like she wanted to say yes and that we should go back, however; she didn't. I followed her as she flitted towards the house. It looked more like a diminishing foreclosure now. She paused in the driveway and sniffed a few times. I did the same, in case she missed a scent. The wolf scent was in the air, but you could tell it was a few days old.

I stared at the black car on the side of the house. It seemed like months ago that we had to leave our honeymoon so soon. All the cars windows were broken or their paint jobs were scratched, except for the Ferrari. Derrick would be pleased to hear that.

I stepped over the door, which was lying on the steps. Amelia followed me then proceeded to walk around in the once lovely lounge. The glass shards of chandelier scattered the floor and the now human werewolf bodies were starting to reek.

"We need to burn this place down," Amelia said, while looking over all the damage.

"What?" I looked up at her. "But your family has lived here for two hundred years."

She scowled and attempted to walk up the broken staircase. "I know, but a house is a house. We can find another."

"Can we save a few things?" I thought about mine and Emilie's clothes.

"I was already planning on it," she half smiled. Amelia started sniffing around again. "Whoever it was…they were here yesterday." She tossed Emilie's clothes and her own at me. "Put them in the Ferrari," she called from upstairs.

The car was completely full when we finished. "That's not even all of it, huh?" I smirked at her, already knowing the answer.

"Nope," she smiled. "It's the things they would want to keep most." She mumbled, while trying to shut the car door.

"…And clothes," I added.

"Nothing else will fit," she made an aggravated face. "Okay, let's try to find what are mystery person was doing here." Amelia stalked back into the house.

"Should we let the others know what we're doing?" I asked as I ran after her.

"No, they probably haven't reached a verdict yet anyway," she smirked.

"Okay," I said, and then stumbled over a torn up love seat. Amelia was rummaging through the fridge when I found her again. "It is still good?"

She ate a few spoonfuls of something. "Most of it is."

My stomach had been growling for the past hour. The relief was exquisite.

"They didn't come for the food," I mumbled with my mouth full.

Amelia put her finger to her lips, while she was thought aloud. "Maybe they wanted weapons?"

"You have weapons here?" I didn't remember seeing any.

"They're in the basement." Amelia turned her head to the side then walked into the living room.

That made sense. I never could find the basement. "How do you get to it?" I called, and then went after her when she didn't answer. Amelia was going up the steps again. "Where is it?" I asked while staring up at her.

"Up here," she said quietly.

Instead of using the almost non-existent staircase, I jumped.

"It is hidden like the elevator in the safe house," Amelia told me. She walked towards one of the bedrooms I have never been in.

Its walls were blood red with black curtains. Everything in it was placed perfectly to make it look like a medieval dungeon.

"Whose room is this?" I stammered, not really wanting to be in it any longer.

"Mine and Derrick's," she smiled at my uncomfortable expression.

"The door to the basement is in here?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes," she said slowly, like I wasn't brighter than the average person.

I waited for her to open the door. She pushed back the same type of panel as the safe house's, and then typed in a code. The wall next to it slid open and she pulled me in with her, knowing I wouldn't go in on my own. Behind me the door shut immediately, startling me.

"They always do that," Amelia assured me.

There were only two flights of stairs. It was a nice break from the stairs, which always seemed to never end. Amelia touched a small panel on the wall and the room lit up. My eyes had to adjust to the white glare. Everything was white on white, many white tables sat all over the very large room. They were covered in all types of strange weapons. I touched the one that was the closest to me and it lit up.

"That's a crossbow for werewolves," Amelia said as she appeared behind me.

"What's the difference?"

"The arrows are made of silver," she replied.

"Oh," I muttered. That was obvious. I needed some more sleep. "Are any of them missing?" I walked around the tables, looking for any empty spots.

"Yes," Amelia scowled.

"Which ones are missing?" I walked over to her with my eyes wide.

"This." She pointed to an empty spot on the end of a table in the back.

"What was it?" I looked down at the empty spot, and then back to her green eyes.

"The first was something that kills vampires, but it's more effective on us than anything else in here." Amelia glanced around, suddenly nervous.

"What does it do?" I asked curiously.

"It's very similar to a normal gun, but the bullets are filled with holy water and the outside is coated in silver." She paused for a second then continued. "Much like the crossbow Derrick showed you earlier."

"Let's take some of these," I said while I grabbed the coolest looking ones.

"Good idea," she turned to the back wall and opened a wood cabinet. It had red velvet shelves.

Inside were silver inscribed hand guns. I couldn't read the writing. It was in another language. They were beautiful, though.

"These are the same thing that was stolen…only better. I think that's all that was stolen." Amelia smiled down at me.

Something crashed to the ground upstairs. We both snapped our head up to the sound.

"Be quiet," Amelia put her hand over my mouth.

We heard more than one footstep walked above us. I counted at least three people. Amelia turned off the lights and dragged me underneath one of the tables. More glass shattering sounds came from farther away. They were upstairs now. Amelia started to load her bullets into the guns, one at a time. Smoke came of her fingers and she winced every time she slid a silver bullet in.

"Is there any gloves?" I whispered to her.

She shook her head. Her eyes began to water as she winced in pain again.

I watched the blood drip from her fingers when she relaxed and finished putting in the bullets. I heard the metal doors open in the stairwell. "They knew the code," I said to her, my fear had vanished.

"It's Derrick." Amelia slid out of under the table and ran to the stairs.

They all had followed us.

"Did you find anything?" Derrick asked after Amelia had let him go.

"Not much," she replied. I guess that was close enough to the truth.

Xavier walked around them and stood next to me. He didn't look mad, just stressed from the situation. Amelia was right. I might have to bring her with me every time I do something I shouldn't.

"Did you get everything in order?" I asked him quietly, not wanting to start another argument between them.

"For the most part," he sighed and ran his hand through his damp hair.

"Why are you wet?" I asked, lightly touching my fingers to his hair.

"It's snowing," he muttered.

Oh no. What if there was more to the scent we trailed here? "Amelia," I uttered nervously.

"Hmm," she turned to me.

"It's snowing." I widened my eyes in case she didn't understand.

Her eyes mimicked mine. "We have an errand to run really quick. We'll be right back," she glanced between Xavier and Derrick. Then she pulled me along with her to the stairwell. "Hurry!" She yelled and flitted up the stairs.

I wished she would have held onto me, so I could keep up. We ran past Anna and Victor. She looked a lot better. Maybe she'll finally help. The snow was very light outside, which was to our advantage.

"It does lead away." Amelia pointed to the back of the house.

We ran through the garden, stopping briefly to check if the scent was still there. It led us back into the forest for a short while before we found ourselves in the middle of the freeway.

"It's starting to delude," Amelia said, with panic filled eyes.

"Which way is it?" I asked desperately.

I took her a few more breaths of the scent to be able to tell. "This way," she pointed to the right of the freeway.

We flitted in that direction, dodging cars with ease.

"I smell Emilie," Amelia called to me.

So we were following the right scent. We should have told the others about it. We were halfway through town when Amelia's cell rang.

"What?" she answered as she jumped off the roof of a car. Then she stopped and sat down on the top of a moving bus.

I copied her exact movements and sat down next to her.

"I told them about the scent. They weren't happy about me not mentioning it earlier." Amelia made a face, but she still looked perfect.

I frowned. "We didn't know it was the person who took her." The bus looped around a second street, and then headed in the direction of the almost gone scent.

"Come on let's go." Amelia grabbed my arm impatiently and jumped off the bus.

It wasn't long before the city had passed us and we were running through farmland again.

"Are we going the right way?" I asked looking up at her. I could no longer smell the scent.

"Yes," she replied, not looking away from the winding dirt road ahead of us. "I know exactly where it is going to lead," Amelia muttered under her breath.

"Where?" I asked surprised. Right when Amelia opened her mouth, we went flying across the hay field. I rolled into an old chicken coop. Wood and feathers fell down around me.

Amelia wasn't next to me. Where did she end up? I got up, dusting the feathers off my clothes and stepped over the chickens. They were clucking like crazy.

Outside, the sun was gone. It was officially night. I saw nothing, but hay stacks all around me. A house and barn stood behind me.

"Amelia!" I yelled, worried she had been taken as well.

I coughed and a few feathers flew out of my mouth. _Yuck_. I yelled her name a few more times, and then flitted to the direction I was sure I had come from.

I was a mile away from the dirt road we had been following. Whatever hit us was strong. The dark road was empty. All that remained was Amelia's and my footprints. I turned around and followed the trajectory of Amelia's footprints. Hopefully, it would lead me to her.

About a mile away, (like I had been) was an impression in a tree. The scent of it told me it was Amelia. I looked up, and a few yards away a fight was taking place. I flitted over there at once.

It was Olivia. Her blonde hair flew back as she whipped herself back onto her feet. Amelia's long hair was tangled around her face and both of their fangs were gleaming in the light. I stood aside and watched, unsure what to do to help.

Olivia hissed and side stepped back and forth. Amelia copied the movement while hissing back. The snow had turned from light to heavy in a matter of seconds. Their feet made crunching sounds in it every time they moved.

I blinked constantly to get the snow off my eyelashes. They didn't even appear to have noticed the snow at all. When Amelia was knocked across the field again, I stepped in by launching myself towards Olivia's neck. Olivia stopped me with a single movement of her arm.

I went flying backwards into a small group of trees. I wasn't any help at all with this situation. I lifted my head up to see Olivia coming back for me. I jumped to my feet, just when Amelia gripped Olivia by the hair and pulled her backwards. She screamed and clawed at her.

One of Amelia's hand guns was lying across from me. It sat against the side of one of the trees. I stumbled a couple times because I moved so fast. I gripped the handle of the gun and rose to my feet. Amelia saw I had one of them and she moved out of Olivia's grasp. Since, she almost had her in a head lock.

Olivia looked at me with her hair tangled and matter down with blood. She no longer looked as pretty as she once did…and never would again. I aimed the gun at her heart. When Olivia noticed this, her fangs came out lower. Then she screamed as she charged at me.

The gun went off and it shuttered in my hand a little. I hadn't even realized that I had pulled the trigger. I felt a mixture of triumph and relief course through me. Olivia slowly looked down at her blood soaked dress. Then a small smile even spread across my face. She touched the blood with her fingers and looked up at my smiling face.

Without a word, she gasped and fell to the ground. Olivia was not dead yet, though. She laid there gasping and staring up at nothing. I wondered if she was in pain, I hoped so. Amelia handed me a small red object. I looked it over and my confusion left. I knew exactly what it was.

Olivia had enough life left in her to hiss at me one more time. Then I plunged the red stake into her heart. She screamed at reached for me. I backed away as she burst into flames.

"Wow," I exclaimed with my eyes wide.

Amelia didn't move or flinch. She stood there with a blank expression on her face. The flames turned from orange to purple, and then blue. It sparked a little before they died down. All that remained of her was a skeleton.

"Wow," I said again, this time with more enthusiasm. "Do they always die like that?" I stared at the smoking skeleton in amazement.

"They always burn, but I have never seen the colors before." She turned her head to the side in curiosity.

"It was them right?" I asked as I pulled the stake out of the skeleton.

"The scent leads to them, but it wasn't her." She kicked snow in the direction of the body.

"One of her brothers," I suggested.

"Possibly," she bit the bottom of her perfect lip. "We can't know for sure until we catch their scent."

I followed Amelia back to the dirt road, (after we dumped the body in an abandoned barn close by). The scent was gone, but Amelia was sure it led to the Reneflauses' castle. And she was right. Sitting there in the dark was an enormous snow covered castle. An iron gate covered the entire outside perimeter. Guards also had many posts around the outside doors as well.

"How will we get in?" I looked at her in disappointment.

She turned to me in shock. "We don't. Are you crazy?" Amelia turned away from me and walked back in the direction we came in. "No one has ever gotten in willingly and no one has ever come out." Her glare silenced me.

"What are we going to do then?" I asked quietly, kind of afraid of her.

"We'll meet up with the others," she replied.

"Okay," I sighed. I took one last look at the dark walls of the fortress that held my best friend. We walked instead of ran this time. I wasn't sure why. I guess Amelia was in no hurry, but we should have been in a hurry.

They could have killed her already. I quickly banished that thought from my mind. If I thought that way, I might as well give up now. Amelia pulled out her phone and started to dial a number. I stopped dead in my tracks, staring in horror at the figure that stood before me.

Amelia looked at my face. "What's wrong?" She also must have looked up. "Who is that?"

I couldn't think logically. All I could do was stare at the dark green eyed ghost that was smiling eerily at me. I tried to form words, but they all came out as gargle noises. She smiled at me, in a way that was unnatural.


	15. Torture

_Chapter 15._

_ Torture_

"Who is that?" Amelia repeated with a more worried tone.

I still couldn't find my voice. She still smiled at me arrogantly. Her brown, curly hair blew back in the wind. I was once again reminded of my dream. I should really start paying more attention to them. They were becoming my own personal fortune teller.

"Hello," she spoke with the same crystal clear voice as the rest of us.

"Hi." Amelia looked at me with a strange look then back to her.

"I'm Katharine." She held out her hand to Amelia.

Amelia accepted it cautiously. "I'm Amelia and this is Victoria." She nodded towards me.

"Oh were already firm friends," Katharine grinned at me again.

"Oh," Amelia looked at me again. "How do you know each other?"

I struggled to find the right words. I still couldn't believe that not only did I kill her, I changed her.

Katharine answered her. "We grew up together. We were practically sisters."

I glowered at her much too innocent appearance. "What are you doing here?" I managed to say.

Katharine stepped closer towards me and the wind blew in the opposite direction, making her hair blow in my face. I stiffened as did Amelia. I knew I had recognized that smell before. And Katharine's white shirt had a small hole ripped in its side. She had done it. I don't know how or why, but I will find a way to destroy her. I will stake her myself.

Amelia looked away awkwardly. "We're late for our appointment," she muttered to me.

"We should get going," I told Katharine, not taking my eyes off of her.

"Okay," she said politely with her hands held behind her back.

I flitted down the snow covered road faster than I have ever gone.

"It was her," Amelia said, when she caught up to me.

"I know," I said coldly.

"Are you upset?"

"No!" I almost yelled.

She looked at me, startled. "Sorry."

How did she even know how to find me, or that Emilie meant so much to me?

"We have to make her tell us what she did with Emilie," I told Amelia.

"I know. I'm already planning on it," she said darkly.

I smiled, even though I couldn't stand torture. This might be one I'm actually willing to watch. When we got back into town, something occurred to me.

"She was at the Reneflauses' castle."

Amelia nodded. "Yes, she probably gave her to them."

"But how did they meet?" I was asking myself more than her.

"I don't know, but I will find out," she promised.

Xavier and the rest of them were waiting at a fancy hotel. They had driven the extremely cramped Ferrari there. Xavier had me gripped tight to his side and was scolding Amelia for putting me in harms way. I felt a little bad, but I was still glad it wasn't me being lectured this time. Victor's face was grave when she told him what I had done to Olivia.

"There will be no compromising now," he muttered.

"They will want revenge." Derrick finished Victor's thought.

"It was self defense," Amelia added to make sure I wasn't blamed.

"We know," Anna whispered, speaking up for the first time.

Xavier was looking down at me. His lips pressed into a hard line. He really didn't like me fighting without him there.

"I wasn't hurt," I assured him and patted his arm. My efforts did no good, he was still very upset.

"We found out who took Emilie," Amelia said, distracting Xavier.

"Who?" Derrick looked up from his weapons. He was laying them out on the bed.

"One of Victoria's old friends took her. Her name is Katharine," she replied.

Xavier's eyes went wide. Then he glared down at me. I smiled apologetically at him. There wasn't much I could have said and I was nervous.

"I know her scent. I can find her very easily. I need a few of you to help me capture her, so I can get the information I need." Amelia glanced at Derrick and Victor.

They would be the most obvious choices for a mission such as this. Xavier's glaring eyes never left my face. I sighed. I would have a lot of explaining to do later. It would be much easier if I could remember what happened. Anna nodded at them to go ahead and go. She was handling the stress a lot better.

"Alright lead the way." Victor waved his hand at Amelia and Derrick followed after them.

"Are you two hungry?" Anna asked us as soon as they left the room.

"Yes!" I practically yelled.

Xavier finally looked away to nod his head. Then he turned back to me.

"I know. I screwed up again, but I don't remember what I did in there," I said quickly, defending myself.

His facial expression didn't change and my voice speed up in response.

"I hated her. I couldn't have changed her on purpose."

Xavier's face changed into shock. "She's one of us!" He growled.

Uh oh, why can't I keep my big mouth shut?

"I t-think so," I stuttered, looking away from the dark glare he gave me. Katharine's eyes were the normal shade of green, like they have always been…just darker. Maybe she wasn't one of us.

He said nothing more and turned away from me. Then he collapsed on the smaller bed in the corner.

Anna walked in, glancing at Xavier's depressed appearance, but she didn't give it a second notice.

"Here," she smiled at me, handing me a bowl of chili.

"Thank you," I smiled back at her.

"So…how was the fight?" she asked. I could tell she just needed a distraction.

"It was intense." I couldn't think of a better word to suit it. "When she died, the flames were brightly colored. Have you seen that before?" I asked, picturing the bright blues and purples in my mind.

"No. Never," she looked at me with curiosity in her eyes. "Perhaps it's just because they're royals. No other vampire has ever done that."

Xavier didn't appear to be breathing, let alone having moved from his spot. I was too much stress on him. Why did he choose me?

"Eat," Anna commanded, pointing down at my untouched bowl.

I smiled then put a spoonful in my mouth. When I did, she smiled and went on with her motherly work. Anna reached over and smacked Xavier on his head. When he looked up, she shoved a bowl of chili in his face.

"You eat too." She kept it in his face till he took if from her.

"Alright," he sighed and ate it faster than I anticipated.

I hated that he was mad at me. I wished there was something I could say or do to make him feel better.

"I'm sorry Xavier," I whispered. It was the only thing I could do. I would try very hard not to do anything wrong again. He sighed and put down his spoon.

"I know you are. I don't blame you. Just finish your food." Xavier patted the spot next to him on the bed and I sat next to him gladly.

"I missed you," I smiled.

Xavier chuckled. "I missed you too." He kissed the top of my head then went back to his dinner.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Anna spying on us from the kitchen. She was smiling.

"I'm so worn out," I sighed and leaned against his shoulder.

"Go ahead and sleep sweetheart." He moved me onto a pillow, and than covered the blankets over my body. "We'll make a plan to get her out soon," he promised. "I love you," he whispered in my ear.

I smiled and drifted off immediately. Some loud voices rang through my head at different times in the night. I tossed and turned a little, and then they stopped after awhile. I dreamt of blue and purple flames swirling around in the air. They danced around the stars and blew around in my hair. Emilie was there, spinning on her toes like she was on ice. Then she stepped towards me and put a multicolored rose in my hand.

My eyes snapped open to the French vanilla swirls on the ceiling. Xavier was asleep with his arm draped over my stomach. Amelia sat in the corner, crossed legged in front of a laptop.

"Good morning," she said without looking away from the screen.

"Morning," I muttered then stretched. "What time is it?"

"Eight," she replied then started typing again.

The scent of bacon and eggs filled the entire room. My mouth watered when I caught the scent.

"Hungry?" Anna walked in from the kitchen with a large plate in her hands.

I smiled. "Of course I am." I took the plate from her eagerly. "Did you find Katharine?" I asked Amelia between bites.

"Yes, it was easy, like I said," she turned giving me a half smile.

"Where is she?" I swallowed another fork full of egg and ate a piece of bacon.

"At the mansion with Derrick and Victor," she said while taking a piece of bacon from Anna.

"Is she in the dungeon?" I smiled, already aware of the answer.

"Yes, I had my turn with her last night. It was surprisingly easy. She's not very pain tolerant." Amelia took the entire plate from Anna. She ate half the plate in two small bites.

I had never seen Amelia act like that before. She even got some of the food on her face. She was usually so proper. "What did she tell you?" I put my plate down. She had my direct attention.

"Olivia followed you to Crystal Falls and she saw you attack Katharine. Then she changed her." She paused, waiting for my reaction.

"I didn't do it," I said slowly over and over again. So she wasn't a hybrid.

"No, but that's very unfortunate that you were found over there. We will have to change our tactics," she frowned.

"She must have been the one who followed us in the car," I stated.

"Someone followed you?" Amelia asked.

"I thought Xavier would have told you."

"No."

"A car followed us when we left Rosewood. It was too dark out to see who it was. Olivia was trying to make us crash. Xavier thought of going off the road and then turned, (very sharply) right before a cliff. Olivia went down the cliff and crashed. I thought whoever it was must have been dead at the time, but I guess not." I picked up another piece of bacon and chewed slowly.

"I think it was Olivia too," Amelia whispered slowly, "At least she is dead now."

"Yeah," I agreed. That was one thing I was at least grateful for.

"Did anything else happen?"

"Not that I know us, except me killing my sister," I sighed. "Does Xavier know about this?" I looked down at him. He had his head under the pillow.

"I told him last night when you were asleep." She put the plate down and turned back to the monitor. "He didn't say anything about the car following you."

"I guess he didn't think it was relevant," I laughed without humor.

Amelia nodded once.

I was happy that I actually didn't screw something up for once. I thought I really had turned Katharine into a hybrid. This news means that I can actually kill her, but could I do it? "How did Olivia know where we were?" I asked for a distraction.

"She didn't say anything more. Derrick and Victor are there trying to get more out of her." Amelia groaned and shut off the computer. "I should really get back there. I'm the best at dealing with these situations," she said, choosing her words carefully.

"Can I come?" I turned my head to the side, making sure Xavier didn't react to my words.

"Yes," she smiled. "That is, unless it upsets you."

I shook my head. "It won't," I assured her.

"Be watchful of her," Anna called. I'm sure she was mostly talking to me. "I don't want anything happening."

"We're running there, since we only have one car," Amelia told me in the elevator.

"Okay." I didn't have any objection to that.

The morning run felt good, although; I had forgotten to change my clothes. I made a mental note to do that when we returned. It had stopped snowing and fresh powder covered the tops of everything in sight. I stared at the snow glistened trees, remembering when I last saw them. It was with Emilie. The decomposing mansion came into view after a very short time. Derrick and Victor stood in the driveway, having a very serious discussion.

"What happened?" Amelia groaned when we arrived in front of them.

"She still hasn't said anything else." Victor said, annoyed.

"I'll try again," she told them, confident in herself.

"Can you teach me?" I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth.

She looked over at me in surprise and I could feel the other two's eyes staring a hole in the back of my head. "You really want to learn?"

"Yes," I told her honestly. What was wrong with me?

"The chamber is still intact. They never got in. I guess they knew we had another way out and followed us."

I nodded at all the right times, pretending to be listening. She guided me upstairs and into the tomb. Katharine was yelling down there, just your typical things. Most of which were string of profanities.

"Let me go! I don't know anything! Why am _I_ here?" Katharine screamed.

Amelia sighed then walked down the small enclosed stairwell. "This shouldn't take too long," she told me with a smirk.

I didn't follow her down the stairs at first. I was beginning to feel a little sympathy for Katharine. I had killed her and now I was going to torture her. I wasn't human, that much was certain. Katharine was sitting in the blood stained chair and she looked at me with panic filled eyes. I looked away from her and focused on what Amelia was doing. She wasn't touching any of the deadly looking tools.

"Victoria please, tell her to let me go," Katharine begged. "I promise you will never see me again. I won't bother you or you new family."

After what she did, I shuddered. No never. Katharine hissed when I ignored her again. Then she threw a string of profanities at me.

"Charming isn't she," Amelia smirked.

I scoffed. "That's an understatement."

Amelia slid a piece of paper towards me on the small table we were standing at. It read, _Victoria, we have not touched her since she's arrived. We have done nothing, but mere threats. She is far easier then anyone I have ever encountered before._

I blinked in surprise. It was true. There was not one mark on Katharine. A part of me was upset about that. I watched as Amelia continued her threats, hopefully I would be able to do it right when the time came. I wasn't planning on trying it today, and besides Amelia was doing an excellent job.

"Okay, there is something else," Katharine uttered when Amelia pulled out a silver dagger.

Amelia and I stared at her, waiting.

She breathed in slowly a few times before answering. "They wanted me to take her."

"Who wanted you to?" Amelia asked.

I didn't know why. I'm sure she already knew who.

"The king told me to. He said it was either me or one of you," Katharine replied.

Amelia hissed. Derrick and Victor came through the door. They were obviously listening. Victor leaned against the side of the fireplace. Derrick sat on the table, which held all of Amelia's various tools. Derrick smiled at me and winked.

"It always works," he mouthed.

"What else is there?" Amelia shook her.

Katharine looked down at the ground. Amelia suddenly held the dagger to her throat. The silver burnt her skin and she screamed in response. It was much easier to watch this than I would have thought possible. I would have run from the room when I was human.

"They are keeping her in the experimental rooms in the basement. They're heavily guarded," she chocked out, steam drifting off her skin.

"Tell me something I don't know," Amelia growled, threatening to touch her throat again.

Katharine stared at me with pleading eyes. "I don't know. Um...Olivia has doubles."

"What?" Victor exclaimed from the back of the room. I had never seen him look surprised before.

"What do you mean?" Amelia hissed.

"She has other vampire's that look like her and she sends them on her errands," Katharine explained.

"I didn't kill her?" I said in shock.

"That would explain why they haven't done anything yet." Victor sat down with his hand against his forehead.

Katharine shook her head. "She never goes anywhere that could be dangerous."

Amelia put the dagger down and sat next to Victor. "What are we going to do?"

"Let me go," Katharine suggested hopefully.

Amelia rolled her eyes at her and I was too focused on my own thoughts to care about anything she said. I hadn't killed Olivia. Then who was it? She looked a lot less beautiful that night, but I thought it was because she was fighting. I shook my head and laid it against my hands. What we're we going to do?

"We have to get her back," Victor said slowly. "If we do not act swiftly we could lose her forever. Whether they have figured out how to end us or not, they will change her."

"What are you talking about?" Amelia and I said at the same time.

"They do all kinds of experiments on the hybrids there. I know because I was the first one to go through them. They are painful and suck away your will to live. Even if we get Emilie back it is possible that she will not be the same person we knew. Either she will be mutated into something else or the experiments will have taken away her will to live. She will be dead on the inside." Victor took out a cigar and puffed it grimly.

"We have to save her before that happens!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," Victor agreed.

"How do you plan to do that?" Derrick muttered.

"I don't know," Victor sighed.

"Do the others have doubles too?" I asked Katharine.

"I don't think so," Katharine whispered, while trying to free her hands from the clamps.

"We should go back to the hotel and figure it out," I said, looking around the room. Derrick nodded in agreement.

"No don't leave me here!" Katharine yelled. She was not family to me, nor did she act like it, but even though I hated it…she was my sister.

"I'm not leaving you here," I told her, hopefully now she'd shut up for awhile.

"What are you doing with her?" Amelia asked skeptically.

"I haven't decided yet," I told her. I definitely was not letting her go. Katharine bit her lower lip nervously. She knew I wasn't letting her go. "You've been in their castle right?"

"Yes," Katharine looked up at me, confused. "I already said that."

The four of them stared at me strange, wondering where I was going with this.

"Tell me the layout of the house," I commanded her.

"You aren't seriously considering breaking in are you?" Amelia exclaimed.

I ignore her outburst. "Tell me," I said more gently this time.

"At night they go into a certain room that holds all their coffins, which would probably be the best time to sneak in." Katharine pulled at the clamps again.

"But?" I hedged.

"It's crazy how much security they have and they double it at night. Laser scanners, cameras, and tons of guards," she shook her head.

"We have a lot of tools against those things downstairs," I muttered "Which reminds me, where are the weapons you took?"

She stared at me blankly. "What weapon?"

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Don't lie to me. Your scent was in the house!"

Katharine shook her head desperately. "I never took anything except your friend!"

Amelia cleared her throat. "I think she's telling the truth," she said when I looked at her.

"Then who did?" I turned to Amelia with fear bubbling up in my stomach.

Her face was grim. "You didn't take Emilie here did you?"

Katharine shook her head. "I came here to look for you, and then followed the scent from your things." She was lying that time.

I sat down in the corner and put my head on my hands. My life just kept getting worse and worse.

"No one else knows the code. Emilie had to of put it in or told it to them. There was no break in," Amelia said.

I reached over and opened Katharine's hand clamps. Thankfully, she was still weak from the silver. "Let's go," I sighed. I was determined to have a plan by tonight or else I was going by myself.

"Thank you," Katharine whispered while rubbing her writs, very uncharacteristic for her.

"Are you sure we should bring her with?" Derrick stared at us warily.

"Yes Derrick, she only did it to save her own life." I didn't really like to lie, but what else was I supposed to do? She was my sister.

I walked behind Amelia, towing Katharine along the way. "Go with them," I told her as I pointed to the car Victor and Derrick were entering. Amelia and I ran back to the hotel to tell the others what we found out. I had decided that Katharine probably shouldn't be trusted and would not be coming with us to the hotel.

I made her tell me more about what rooms were where and every detail I could get. I will save Emilie even if I have to do it myself. Back at the hotel, Anna had lunch made for us right when we entered the room.

"Here," she smiled, spooning it onto our plates.

I hadn't realized we'd been gone that long.

"We found out more," I told Xavier, who was still sitting on the bed.

He looked up curiously and I filled him in on all I knew and what we assumed.

"You are not going in there alone," Xavier frowned, guessing exactly what was going through my head.

"I will if no one else does," I argued.

He shook his head. "I will be with you even if no one else decides to risk it." His tone ended the conversation.

I turned back to my plate of food before it got cold. Amelia was back on her laptop. She seemed to be hacking into something. Anna was staring at us. Her face was creased in worry.

"Anna, tell me about when Xavier was little?" I asked, hoping to distract her from whatever she was worried about.

Anna smiled. "Okay," she chuckled a little.

Xavier rolled his eyes. "Great…"

I elbowed him in the side. "Shut up."

He gripped me by the waist and pulled me onto his lap. "What did you say?"

I laughed when he wrapped his arms and legs around me. Then he kissed the side of my face. Anna sat in front of us, with a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a plate in the other.

"Did you want some?"

I shook my head. "No thank you…now tell me," I urged.

"As a baby he was very quiet. He only cried when he needed something," she smiled at the memory. "At the terrible two's, however; he got much louder and more destructive."

Xavier smirked at her. "Sorry mom."

"Of course you are." She playfully pushed his head to the side. "After that was over he went back to being a quiet good boy," she laughed a little.

"Amelia and Emilie were the trouble makers." It was hard for her to say Emilie's name.

"What were you like?" Xavier looked at me with a smile.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "My parents never said anything about it."

Anna looked down at the bed. "I should get back to the kitchen."

Xavier put a hand on my shoulder. "You have us now."

I smiled and reached up to rub his hand. When I did, he kissed it.

"So hybrid babies are the same as human babies?" I asked Anna before she could get up.

"For the most part, yes. There are a few differences, though," she chuckled. "I fed my babies blood from a bottle, like any other mother. They were more destructive and it was very hard to teach them discreetness. They wouldn't learn how to hunt on their own or hide their existence until they were of ten years."

"That must have been really hard for you, with the vampires and everything looking for you. I can't imagine having that kind of patience."

"It was worth it," Anna smiled warmly at her son and then at Amelia, "I wouldn't know what I'd do without them."

"Oh, knock it off mom," Xavier smiled at her.

"I can't help it. I just love you both so much." She kissed the top of his head and then did the same to Amelia.

"I found the layout of their castle," Amelia called from her laptop.

The three of us flitted to the computer. We were all crushed in together, staring at the small screen.

"How did you find it?" Anna asked, gripping her shoulder.

"I hacked their security system," she smiled, proud of herself.

"Good job," Xavier complemented.

Amelia showed us all the rooms of the castle, but the basement level was too hard for her to get at. "I will try something else and tell you if I got it," she said as we walked back to the bed.

Victor and Derrick walked through the door. "Where's lunch?" Victor growled.

Wow, the werewolf hunger really affected the men more than women.

"He was complaining about it the whole day," Derrick scowled at him.

Victor ate out of the pan, ignoring the plate Anna was holding. She gave the plate to Derrick.

"I got the basement," Amelia smiled at us.

Derrick leaned over her, bending slightly to kiss her check. "There's a lot more security down there, compared rest of the castle," he scowled.

"We have the technology to take out the cameras and lasers," Amelia countered.

"True, but we don't know how many guards there are," he said.

"We could snoop around and see," Xavier suggested.

"What about the guards outside?" I asked, looking at him.

"Oh yeah," he made a face.

"We'd have to take them out and find a way inside on the same day." Derrick said thoughtfully. "There's no way we won't be caught," he added.

"We have to try!" I practically yelled.

Xavier shushed me. "We will try. Don't freak out," he rubbed my shoulder.

Anna sat next to me and put her arm around my shoulders, pulling me against her side. "We'll get her back."

I smiled. She was so kind. I was extremely lucky to get two mothers in one lifetime. "I hope so."

Amelia and Derrick continued to argue. The hours slowly ticked by and the rest of us were never able to get one word in. Eventually, Victor silenced his hunger and stepped into the argument.

"We will go tonight," he said, with enough authority to silence everyone in the room.

We all stared at him with wide eyes. Anna was the only one who spoke up. "Tonight, are you sure?" she whispered.

He looked at her, dead serious. "Yes tonight."

Derrick stared at him like he was insane. "How are we supposed to do that?"

"It doesn't matter," Xavier sighed impatiently. "It's going to happen. We can't afford to waste any more time."

I looked at the clock. We went from lunch to dinner in one argument. I got up and went to the window. Then I groaned loudly. It had started to snow again and it was almost dark out.

Xavier was watching me. "We need to figure out what to do now. They'll be going to bed soon," he sighed.

"We can get all the weapons out of the basement and the other gadgets we might need," Amelia said, ready to leave now.

"All those vampires," Derrick shook his head and looked at Amelia. He was afraid to lose her.

I looked at Xavier. If something happened to him I wasn't sure if I would survive it. He caught my gaze and smiled. I took his hand tightly in mine and kissed him softly. "When are we leaving?" I asked.

Victor looked up at the clock. "In two hours. Our family is not complete and we will not stop until it is." He was staring at Anna while he spoke. "Derrick take Amelia and gather all the weapons we might need." He waved at the door.

They took off in a flash.

"You two," he pointed at Xavier and I. "Go get Katharine. She will be very helpful."

Xavier got up and nodded at him. Then he looked at me. "Put your boots back on."

I got up and pulled them on as fast as I could. Then I tried to remember where I told them to take Katharine.

"What are you going to do?" Xavier asked Victor as he helped me to my feet.

"Anna and I are going to the Reneflauses' castle to _snoop _as you put it," he replied.

"Is that a good idea?" Xavier asked skeptically.

"We would rather risk ourselves then put our children in danger," Anna answered. She had already put on black clothing and was handing Victor his. "We have done this before." She was trying to assure us that they would be fine, but we knew better.

Xavier rolled his eyes and led me out the room. "Where did you take her?"

"The safe house underground, I think. I figured since they already found us there, that it didn't matter if she knew where it was." I shrugged

"That was a good idea," he smiled at me.

I was just happy I finally did something right. "What does he want with her?"

Xavier shrugged. "I'm guessing maybe use her as bait or a distraction. I'm not sure." He was agitated, so I didn't bother him anymore.

This would probably be the most stressful situation we have ever been in. Hopefully, it would be the last. The snow was falling heavily now. I hated how it blew in my eyes when we ran, _ugh_.

It took close to twenty minutes and me cussing for the millionth time, while wiping the snow out of my eyes. We had found the strange twisted trees. Only now most of them were on the forest floor. The wolves must have torn them up, trying to find us.

Xavier knelt down and lifted the hatch. Katharine's scent blew out at us in the wind. She definitely hadn't left. As soon as we entered the small living room; Katharine was in my face yelling. I apologized at least five times before she would let me say an actual sentence.

"I remember you," she pointed at Xavier. "You're the cute guy from the clothes shop." She noticed how close we were to each other and then saw the ring on my hand.

"You're with her!" she exclaimed rudely. "Is that why you attacked me? …Because I was interested in your man?" Katharine was very perceptive for how dumb she acted most of the time.

"I don't have time to talk about this," I said quickly and took her by the hand.

"What are you doing?" she pulled out of my grip.

Xavier touched her and she went down on her knee's screaming in pain. He had the silver dagger in his gloved hand.

"You are going to help us," he commanded.

"Okay," she winced in pain and threw a glare at me before he led her into the tunnel.

I hoped whatever Victor was planning didn't depend on trusting Katharine, or we will never get Emilie back. We went past the tangled trees and Xavier pulled out his cell. He handed Katharine to me at the same time.

"What are you going to do with me?" she glowered at me, waiting.

"I have no idea," I muttered honestly.

I followed Xavier through the forest. Katharine was dragging me down the whole way. More than once, she tried to bite me. I had to put the silver against her from time to time. My anxiety was growing more and more. How are we going to make it out of there?


	16. Infiltration

_Chapter 16._

_ Infiltration_

The plan was in motion, or at least I hoped it was. I sat in the back seat of the car, staring up at the dark sky. I was glad when they told me all the snow was a good thing. The guards wouldn't be able to pick up our scent in it.

Xavier sat next to me, as always, and he held my hand in both of his. I was trying not to worry about him. I kept telling myself everything would be fine and we would get Emilie back. But I couldn't lie to myself as easily.

Katharine was complaining behind me for half the car ride, until Derrick silenced her with one look. I had to stifle my laughter. They had stolen this large SUV just for this occasion. I was glad to hear that they had planned on something bad happening before I came along.

Amelia was driving very slowly for a change. She wanted us to have more time to think about what we were doing, I suppose. Derrick was in the passenger seat, checking each of the weapons, which he planned on using again and again. Right before we left, he taught me how to use a few of them. Xavier wasn't too thrilled about it, since he didn't want me to be here.

"Victoria would you please…" He tried to convince me for the fourth time, but I cut him off.

"Not a chance Xavier. She's my best friend. There's no way I'm not going!" I glared at him, trying to make myself clear.

He sighed in defeat, but never let go of my hand.

Derrick had showed me the proper way to stake a vampire. I thought you just stuck in it their heart, but apparently there was some skill to it. He had also told me how to protect myself without weapons. I smiled at the memory of his training.

"There is one thing that you can do when you are cornered," Derrick told me sternly.

"What is that?" I asked curiously.

"If it is werewolves, you should know that they are weak at the legs. Spin in a quick circle and use your leg to knock all of them down simultaneously. That will buy you enough time to get away from them. A vampire is another story entirely, though. They know most of the moves you can make and they can do all of them. Try using both of your abilities at the same time, however; they can dodge most of the attacks. Our claws and ability to change forms is our most valued weapons."

"How do you use this?" I held up the crossbow.

"That is for mainly werewolves, but sometimes it can come in handy for vampires. These are what you need for vampires," he held up a silver pair of guns. "These are Amelia's, but she will share with you."

Amelia scoffed from upstairs.

"She will," Derrick repeated.

I nodded once.

"The crossbow is simple to use, but it has a few flaws. You just put the arrow in here and pull it back on the string. Then there is a level similar to a gun down below. The drawback is that sometimes the arrows fly out and hit you in the face. It's not very pleasant to be hit the face with silver," Derrick chuckled humorously.

"I imagine not," I said.

"The guns are the same as any other gun, but the bullets are deadly to a vampire. Aim and fire, simple," he smiled and handed me one of the guns. "Just don't shoot yourself."

I smiled at his joke and held the gun in my hand. "It's very lightweight," I noted.

"It's made that way on purpose. We have to carry a lot when we are on the run, so we don't need things weighing us down," Derrick turned around and took something off the shelf, "this is a stake."

"I'm aware," I smiled.

Derrick smiled back, but he kept his voice stern. "I know you have already killed a vampire. It may not have been who you thought it was, but it was a vampire nonetheless. The bullets just bring it down so it can be staked, so you need to know how to use one properly."

"Don't you just stick it in their heart?" I smirked.

"Yes it goes in their heart," he spoke slowly like I was mentally incompetent. "But sometimes it is very difficult. They do not want to die, you know."

"Oh yeah," I laughed.

"They will stop you from staking them, so you need to know a few skills. A few stake skills and fighting skills, if you want to walk away from this tonight. Do you?"

"Of course I do!" I exclaimed.

Xavier growled in the back of the room. I knew he did not like me learning any of this. I suspected that he was angry about us talking like I could be trapped there. I looked back at his blank face and smiled at him. "I will be fine Xavier," I promised him.

He shook his head and stalked out of the room.

"Ignore him," Derrick muttered. "Take this." He handed me a wooden stake, but it was painted red. "Attack me."

"Are you serious?" I said.

"Yes."

"What if I hurt you?" I stammered. I looked down at the stake and then back up to his face.

"That's the point," he said roughly. He almost sounded mad. "Attack me Victoria. Stake me!"

The yelling scared me a little and I reached for him fast. He dodged my stake and flipped over the back of me. I stumbled forward, catching myself on the edge of the table. When I looked up, he was charging at me with a stake held tightly in his left hand.

"Never let your guard down," he yelled.

I gripped mine tighter and flung my arm out towards him. He was gone. I looked down in time to see him sliding in between my legs. I turned around and I got staked in the stomach.

"You weren't fast enough. Now you are dead."

I watched the blood drip out of my stomach. It hurt like hell. Derrick smiled in pride of his abilities. I pulled the stake out of my stomach with a groan. I started to turn away from him, but then I flitted back and stuck it into his heart. I was proud of myself that I had caught him off guard, but I was mostly happy that I had got the exact spot of the heart.

"Oh god," Derrick groaned. He slumped over and placed his hand over his heart. "Just picture me bursting into flames."

"Okay," I chuckled.

He pulled the stake out of his heart and tossed it into a black bag. I watched him breath heavily and then groan again. Then in front of my eyes, the hole in his chest healed. My stomach was healed already as well. Our clothing was torn up and covered in blood, though. I would have to change before Xavier saw me. Derrick laughed and told me I did a good job.

"There are a few more techniques, but mainly you need to protect yourself and caught your attacker off guard. Come at me and I will show you a few fighting moves."

I did what he said and ended up on the ground most of the night. It was a very long night, but I finally got the hang of it. Amelia came down later and showed me a few of her moves. Victor fought with Derrick and Xavier before we left as well. Anna was trained with Amelia and her husband. I fell asleep on the couch and missed most of what they learned. I awoke when it was time to go the next night.

I blinked and looked around the car. Everyone had grave faces. We had trained well the day before. I didn't know why they were so worried. I was just upset that we were too late.

For a quick distraction, I turned to Katharine. She was still sulking in the back of the car. I waited till she noticed my eyes to ask her. It took a few minutes, but she suddenly turned to me.

"What the hell do you want?"

"How many doubles does Olivia have?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't there long, but I saw three." She turned away from me and looked back out the window.

"We'll just keep killing them as we see um," Derrick smiled at me.

"Good idea," I smiled back. "Did you hear from Victor and Anna?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"Yes," Amelia answered. "They called right before we left. They're fine. Good news, though. There are only a couple guards placed in front of the doors, so they must go inside at night."

Derrick nodded to himself. "This plan might work after all."

Katharine sighed behind me. "What is this plan?" Her voice was filled with doubt.

"We're not telling you," I muttered.

She groaned and wrapped her arms around her chest. "What do I have to do?"

"I don't know," I sighed. How many times have I told her that? Two, three?

"We'll tell you what to do when it's time," Amelia said blankly.

Xavier put his arm around me and pulled me till I was practically on his lap. He didn't say anything. I guess he was just worried.

I was too.

"We're supposed to meet Victor and Anna a few miles away from our destination," Amelia announced to everyone.

"Then what do we do?" I wondered aloud.

"Victor will tell us what he wants to do next," she answered.

The hills of Rosewood were starting to show on the horizon. On the tallest hill, which sat in the middle, sat the Reneflauses' castle. The dark walls blended in with the sky, but lights were all around the perimeter of the gate. Amelia pulled over to the side of the road.

"This is where we stop." She thought better of it, and then drove a little father into a group of trees.

A tap thudded against the window, startling me. It was Victor. Amelia opened the car door. "What's the plan?"

He gestured for us to follow him. His face held no emotion. Katharine leaped over me and out the door. She didn't run away like I anticipated, though.

"I had to get out of there." She told me, breathing hard.

I forgot how hard it was to be cramped up in small places when you first turn. It must have been the same for vampires. I climbed out of the car and stretched my legs. Xavier never had let go of my hand. We were all dressed in black, just in case someone saw us. Victor had Katharine dressed normally, though.

I still wasn't quite sure what he was planning. I only knew part of it. Amelia and Derrick made sure the SUV was camouflaged well, before we followed Victor up the side of the hill. I kept a close eye on Katharine, who was oddly quiet. Usually, she'd be complaining about something. What was she up to?

I turned to my right to see Xavier glaring at her. Good, I was glad to see we had the same suspicions. Victor suddenly took off, sprinting in between the haystacks. I took Katharine's arm as Xavier started to run with me.

I was not going to give her any means of escape. She would destroy us the second she had a chance. Victor stopped at the third hill and got down on the ground. Anna was there in the spot next him.

"Nothing's changed since you left." She was peering at the guards in the front.

They were just as muscular as the ones that guarded Olivia, the first time we saw her. It was strange that the ones here last time were quite thin.

"What are we going to do?" Xavier whispered to Victor.

"We'll go under the gate in the back. Then we will find an entrance on the roof." He looked up to see a very large chimney. "That might be the way in." Victor pointed for the other's to see.

Derrick dropped a huge duffel bag in front of me, making me jump. "Choose your weapon in here," he said, handing me gloves.

I pulled out the same silver colored guns that I killed the Olivia double with. There were a lot of different types of stakes in there as well. I put a few on my belt, along with the variety of other things they had. Some of them I wasn't quite sure how to use.

Everyone pulled things out till the bag was empty. I had smacked Katharine's hand away whenever she reached for one of them. She hissed at me a couple times, but she never tried anything. It was well known that I was stronger.

I still had no idea how she was able to take Emilie away from us. She was right next to us in the water and no one noticed. Yes Emilie was exhausted, but even on her worst day she was still stronger than a vampire. Someone had to have helped her. There was no way she could have done it on her own. Katharine was staring at the ground, looking at nothing. I should have interrogated her more.

"You okay?" I asked after a few minutes of her not moving.

"What? Yeah," she shook her head.

"Get your head clear!" Victor pointed at her. "You'll be going in soon."

She stared at him with wide eyes. "What?" It was clear that she never planned to go back there ever again.

"It's okay," I told her. "Be brave and confident. Everything will be fine."

Victor pulled her to the side. Her face still hadn't lost its chagrin. He whispered so low in her ear that the rest of us couldn't make out what he was saying. Katharine nodded slowly, however; she still looked unhappy about it. I watched as she made her way up the rest of the hills towards the castle. Would they let her in?

"Let's go," Victor said quickly, after Katharine was let through the gate.

We climbed up the two hills and headed to the back of the castle. We didn't stop till the bright lights of the fence glared in our eyes. Derrick pulled up the iron fence. It groaned and creaked in response. We crawled under, and then Derrick pulled it back down. I pressed my back against the stone wall, breathing hard.

"Are we climbing up here?" I asked Xavier, who was next to me against the wall.

"I think so." He looked at Amelia.

She nodded. "The chimney is directly above us. It's the best way to go up."

I heard the front doors of the castle open and Katharine speaking to the guards. I held my breath.

_Please don't ruin this_.

Katharine said she came to see Charles and that he had a job for her. I let out a sigh of relief. Beside me, Xavier moved from his frozen posture.

"You were right to use her dad." Amelia said to Victor before she climbed to the first window.

I looked around on the ground level. There didn't seem to be any windows in the basement. Disappointment flooded through me as Xavier took my hand to help me onto the ledge. "So far so good," I murmured to him with a laugh.

He smiled and stuck his claws up a little higher. We passed the first and second window with a problem, but the third window has someone there. He saw us. It was already open, so the guy reached through and grabbed my arm. Xavier gripped his neck and snapped it. We both watched the vampire fall out the window and hit the ground.

"Thanks," I whispered.

"Always," he smiled.

When we reached the fourth window, I saw Olivia drinking out of some guy. I had an urge to break through the window and smash her head to the floor. Xavier stopped my hand from going through the window.

"Not yet," he laughed at my impatience.

I growled. Then I stared at her blood stained mouth and fangs. I would be the one to destroy her.

I stuck my claws into the stone more violently and was the first one to the last window. Katharine was all the way upstairs already, how was that possible? Across from Katharine, the queen silently stood. They bowed to each other. I had forgotten how unnaturally beautiful she was.

Penelope was dressed more casual this time. She had been all dolled up at the wedding. Her pale blonde hair was swept back into an almost messy bun and some hair hung down on the sides. The little black dress she wore, (with pearls) was complimented by a crème cashmere sweater, pulled up to her elbows.

She told Katharine they were all in bed, but she could stay in one of the extra coffins they had in the guest rooms. It was hard to believe that the queen was doing all these horrible things, with how sweet she seemed at this very moment. They walked away towards the guest bedrooms. I wasn't able to stop looking at her perfect face until they disappeared.

Xavier shook my shoulder. "Victoria, everyone's already on the roof waiting for us."

I shook my head, apologizing. Then I pulled myself onto the edge of the roof after him.

"What were you doing?" Amelia asked.

"I was distracted…," I frowned.

"Don't let it happen again." Derrick hissed. "You can't make mistakes like that when you're in there."

I nodded, hoping he wouldn't rant about it for an hour again. There was no time to lose. Luckily, he turned and climbed swiftly up the chimney. "It's open," he called down.

Amelia scaled up the chimney after him and slid down it. I didn't hear any screams or alarms going off, so it must have been okay. Xavier put his hand on my arm, stopping me.

"I'll go first," he nodded so I understood his concern.

I waited, biting my lip nervously. I might skip their plan and make one of my own. I had a terrible feeling something bad was going to happen. I'm heading straight to the basement as soon as we got into the main level.

I dropped into the chimney after Xavier called for me. How was I going to get away from him? We were all pressed tightly against each other inside of the chimney. A few guards walked back and forth in front of us. Amelia put her finger to her lips, and then apparently signaled that she was going to try getting out of the room. Derrick followed after the guards passed us again.

"Stay here," Victor whispered to us.

"I really don't want to," I told Xavier after Derrick left.

Xavier chuckled briefly. "I know sweetheart." He kissed my forehead then pulled me tight against his chest when another guard passed.

"Do you think this plan is going to work?" I whispered against his chest, doubt evident in my voice.

"I do." He sounded overly confident, which surprised me.

"I hope she's okay," I said while watching the guards pass again.

"She is," he told me. This time, however; he didn't sound as sure.

The guards fell to the ground, blood spilled out from their necks. Then Amelia landed on top of one of them, thrusting a stake in his heart. The guard burst into flames and the other one did soon after him. I hadn't seen Derrick stake the other guard.

"I think we got them all on this floor." Derrick looked around then put the two skeletons in the fireplace.

Amelia came back into the room with two more bodies and threw them into the fireplace as well.

"Now, no more distractions from this point on," she glared at me as she spoke.

I smiled in embarrassment. I couldn't help that I was new to this life and was, therefore; distracted easily. Xavier rubbed my shoulder then Amelia shot something out against the wall.

"What was that?" I asked, looking at her strange.

"Camera, somehow I missed one," she muttered, not pleased with herself at all.

"I got the rest of them," Derrick told her. Someone touched him and he hissed. He then threw (whoever it was) over his shoulder.

Victor gripped his shirt, making him fall to the ground too.

"Sorry," he said from the ground. Victor picked himself up.

"We don't have time for these kinds of mistakes," Amelia growled.

"Calm down." Anna said from behind me.

"Sorry," Amelia sighed. Even in rage, Amelia respected her mother.

A door opened to the left of us, and two sets of boots were marching down the hallway.

"Hide," Victor hissed.

Amelia jumped up onto the chandelier, while Derrick hid in a window seal on the ceiling. Xavier gripped me by the side and slid us underneath a couch, before I could see where the others were hiding. More guards shuffled past us. I was amazed that they couldn't smell us; maybe the snow was still helping in that department. They were mumbling something about where the other guards had gone, but they ruled it off as laziness.

The guards didn't stay long, but it was a good thing they came up. We now had a way to get to the next level down. One careless guard left the main door unlocked and didn't put the security system back on.

"That was lucky," Amelia called from the ceiling.

"Very," I agreed, which was also very odd. I never have good luck.

"Come on." Xavier pulled me out from under the couch.

We all ran to the door, but only Victor checked to make sure no one was there. "It's clear," he called after a couple seconds.

Amelia was the first one out the door and stopped to hide behind one of the colossal pillars. They stood on each side of the room, running all the way down the long hall. There were no cameras in this room; Derrick had just informed us this. He thought it was very strange. Amelia continued on down the hallway. She stopped every few pillars, making sure the coast was clear.

We followed her after she made it halfway. Two more huge double doors waited for us at the end of the hallway. Victor again checked to see how much security there was. This time there was some, okay a little more than some. Red laser scanners criss-crossed all over the room and cameras were on every corner. Also, guards were posted at each of the four doors in the medium sized room.

"Damn," Derrick groaned.

The room was filled with gold, jewels, and I assumed the crowns belonged to the Reneflauses themselves.

"Is there another way around?" I asked.

"No," Amelia scowled. "We go through here or we give up."

"I'll take out the cameras," Derrick muttered, pulling out the laser.

Amelia was already one step ahead of him and had a huge chunk of the wall torn out. She was attaching the wires to some kind of electrical device. The lasers around the room disappeared and the guards, (the one's that noticed) looked around in confusion. Victor and Anna flitted down the left side, taking out two of the vampire guards. Derrick staked one, and then ripped the heart out of another in the same second.

Amelia rolled on the ground with one. Then she finally bit deep into his neck. Xavier and I flitted towards the other two, who were about to set the alarm off. I gripped the man's ponytail and plunged a stake through his back. I hit the heart, but I didn't think I would. Xavier's guard fell to the floor in flames.

"You okay?" he asked while I stood there staring at them.

"Yes," I said slowly, the plan was working so far.

I needed to think of a way to get away from them when it didn't. I had to wait for a big enough distraction. Amelia and Anna rushed past me to open the next door, before they touched the doorknob it swung open. Three huge guards shot arrows at us.

Their crossbows were similar to the one that was taken from the basement. I wonder who did that, I thought sarcastically. An arrow grazed my head and I fell backward into one of the glass cases. My head burned as I clutched my hand against it.

Xavier ran into one of them and swiftly decapitated him with one arm. Then, he too ripped the heart out of the other. It was amazing how much strength fury could give you. A brief moment after he killed the second one, Xavier transformed into a wolf. My head had finally healed and I was able to relax.

"Is everyone all right?" Anna called as she looked around the room for all of us.

Xavier stood growling in the corner, his eyes fixated on me. I suppose he was making sure nothing else touched me.

"Keep moving," Victor ordered. "They are starting to become aware of our presence."

Amelia tried opening the door again. This time with success and of course more guards were behind it, waiting for us. We had them outnumbered and they were nowhere near as big as the last three were. Xavier growled at me every time I went near the door. It was getting ridiculous, it's not like I was going to die. I wouldn't do that to him. Yes, I would be worried, but I wouldn't stop him from doing what he wanted to do.

"Okay," Anna called to us when they were done.

Xavier finally let me go through the door, but not before he double checked the room.

"Really," I sighed, annoyed.

He growled again then gestured with his big head to go into the room. Xavier hadn't calmed down enough to change back into vampire form, though I really wished he would. I was very aggravated. I was definitely going off on my own to find Emilie, but they needed everyone for this plan to work. Then again, I couldn't help when he wouldn't let me. I felt strange standing next to a wolf. I felt like it was going to kill me, however; I knew that was impossible.

"This is the ballroom," Amelia called from what looked like a throne.

I stared at the beautiful glass windows that took up half the walls, and then the chandelier took up half the ceiling. I spun around in the middle of the floor. I hadn't been to a dance since the senior formal, which was almost a year ago now. I wondered what all my friends back at home were doing now.

"Pay attention Vic," Derrick yelled from the beautiful staircases that lead to the next door.

I was distracted again, damn it. I just can't seem to stop myself from doing that.

Xavier touched my shoulder. "We'll have our own ballroom in the next house," he promised. He had found his clothes fast.

"I can take care of myself you know," I said bluntly, probably ruining his good attitude.

"I know," he said simply, not phased at all.

"Why can't I help?" I stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"I was mad and didn't want anything else to happen to you." He gripped my waist on both sides and pulled me closer to him.

I chuckled when he spun me around in a familiar dance step. "That would be nice to own one of these," I said while absentmindedly running my fingers through his hair.

"Come on guys," Derrick groaned at us. "We're on the most dangerous mission we've ever been on and you're goofing off."

Xavier laughed then flitted up the stairs, tackling Derrick onto the second staircase. He growled and began to charge at him, till Amelia stopped him.

"There's no time for this. We need to keep moving!" She hissed.

Victor was leaning against the doors, waiting for us. He glared as he opened the doors. Inside was a long corridor, similar to the one we were previously in. There were the large pillars again, but it had a red carpet leading all the way down. Then crests printed on tapestries all along the walls. In between the tapestries were suits of armor, also trailing all the way down the long hallway.

Only two cameras were placed at each end of the hall, and Derrick took them out easily. People were talking on the outside of the next door. We came to a conclusion that it wouldn't be best to go in this way. There was a vent in the corner of the room. Amelia smiled as she pointed it out to us. Only one of us would fit in it, and Anna was the smallest

"Be careful," Victor kissed her lightly.

"I always am," she smiled then jumped up to the vent and ripped the cover off in the same second.

There were yells behind the door and a loud slam. The wall cracked a little in a few places. The door unlocked and Anna stepped out.

"We're good," she smiled

Victor touched her shoulder lightly, and then we filed into the room. No cameras were in this one. Another fireplace was the focal point of the room, mostly because it took up practically the whole thing. Anna sat on the white couch in front of it.

"There aren't as many guards here as Katharine said there was." I sat next to her when Derrick replied.

"They are probably all on the lower levels, where all the important things are," he muttered.

Outside yet another window, the snow was still continuing to fall. "We might be stuck here," I muttered.

"No we won't," Amelia said confidently. "We'll run back if we have to."

We were steadily progressing into the castle, but we were still on the second highest level. "Let's go." I went to the next door.

Xavier was there before me, turning the knob. "Just in case," he smiled when I grimaced.

Another hallway, only there were doors on each side. "This ought to be filled with dangerous things," I smirked at him.

When I started to walk down the hall, all the doors flung open and out of each one emerged giant, grotesque and green,(for lack of a better word) monsters. I jumped back, tripping over Xavier. I left him behind and didn't stop running till I fell against the couch next to Anna. I looked up at her horrified face.

"What are they?" Anna's voice screeched with disgust.

"I've never seen anything like them," Amelia said slowly. She was in shock.

I turned to see Xavier backing up towards us. I felt a surge of disgust at myself for leaving him. He shut the door, but with the size of those things I knew it wouldn't do any good.

"How do you kill them?" Derrick asked Victor.

We all turned to him with panic in our eyes. He said nothing, but nor did he look frightened. I flash of memory went though my mind. Victor had told us that the experiments had left some of the hybrids mutated. Were those hybrids?

"Victor!" Anna hissed, even more afraid now.

Victor turned away from us to stare out the window. Then he turned and ran to the hallway that containing all those hideous things. "Run!" Victor yelled while opening the door. He didn't get the chance, the door exploded into pieces.

Luckily, only one of the things could fit in the hole it made at a time. That also gave us enough time to find a detour.

"Up there!" Derrick pointed to the ceiling panels, which could be lifted easily. He jumped onto the mantle of the fireplace, just when Victor made the monster crash into it.

Anna was too horrified to go near the green things. I didn't blame her. They looked like a mix between a vampire and alien. Amelia jumped on the back of it and gripped Derrick's hand. Then she held onto the side of the panel. Amelia then lowered her hand for me, after Anna got up. The monster had moved away or had been pushed to the other side of the room.

The other ones were starting to go through the giant hole in the wall. So I leapt up there and took hold of Amelia's hand. When we crawled quickly, but carefully I heard Victor yelling at Xavier to follow us. He was the head of the household, so you had to follow his orders. I then heard a growl and another window shattering. Xavier was suddenly behind me and I let out a breath of relief.

"This way," Amelia told me.

We crawled to the left. Anna must be going into pieces, unless it hadn't hit her yet. Victor could get captured back there. One hybrid against eight giant monsters, I didn't want to think of the odds of that outcome.

"We're almost there," Amelia said in a panicked voice.

The panels beneath us creaked and bent when we put our weight on them. I was a little paranoid that we would crash through at any second.

"Right here," Amelia said.

We all stopped and I cringed when the panels creaked again.

"We're on the next level down," Amelia whispered.

Ahead I heard someone start to sob. I assumed it was Anna. Amelia disappeared through the hole.

"Go ahead," Xavier nudged my back. His voice was rough.

I sat up, and dangled my legs over the edge. Then I slid off, landing on the balls of my feet. Xavier dropped down as soon as I moved out of the way.

"What were those things?" I asked when I found my voice again. I still thought they were mutated hybrids.

"I have no idea," Derrick sighed and leaned against a wall of books.

We were in a library, I assumed since there were nothing but books on every wall. Then a small fancy area for reading was in the corner. Anna sat on the rocking chair in the middle of the room, with her head in her hands. She was finally going to pieces. I touched her head.

"He can't die. The worse that can happen is that they catch him. Then if that happens we can just get him when we find Emilie."

She looked up at me then nodded. "Okay."

I didn't expect it to help her any, but I was glad she was still ready to keep going. She laid back against the chair…well maybe she's not ready. Everyone seemed to be ready to pass out. This wasn't good.

I had to find Emilie now. Xavier sat on the floor against a bookcase and leaned his head on it, closing his eyes. This was my chance. It wasn't a big distraction, but it might be good enough.

I acted like I was tired too and leaned against a partly open window. Derrick was looking at an electric device. Amelia had sat next to Anna, only she was on the floor. They both appeared to be sleeping, probably getting rest before Derrick found out where they needed to go next. I slid my hand out the window, slowly sliding it up. I stopped whenever someone glanced at me. Once the window was halfway open, I waited till they were busy again and ducked out of it.

I hung on the edge, snow blowing wildly through my hair. It made it a little difficult to move and be quiet at the same time. I stuck my claws into the stone one at a time, till I got to the fourth floor. I would have gone further, but I couldn't stand the nasty weather any longer.

Two floors down were better than the slow progress they were doing. I would have to make it up to Xavier later, though. I opened the window to the third floor instead of the fourth. I had decided to go one more down.

The dark purple curtains blew out with the wind when I pulled myself into the room. It smelt like apples and cinnamon. This was definitely one of the most lived on floors. I sat on the ground, resting for a bit.

I hoped to god that none of them found me right away. There was a clock above the dark wood door. It read: 4:30. We did waste a lot of time. It was 11:00 when we were on the hills, watching Katharine go into the house.

A glossy wood piano sat in the corner. It stood out beautifully against the dark maroon walls and purple drapes. I understood why the wedding looked like a funeral, they liked it that way. Outside, the snow was falling faster, more fiercely. It now looked more like a blizzard than a small storm.

I knew that we needed to start at the top levels. I was afraid that we were wasting time, though. They were still going through at each level, so why did I need to? The only reason we were was so we weren't bombarded with guards when we tried to escape. I personally think we could have handled it.

I have been wrong before, though.

I walked to the window that I had just come out of, distracted again. I just couldn't help myself. I tripped over a footrest, and then caught myself on the edge of the chair. A light flickered on. I froze, my hand digging into the frame of the chair.

"What are you doing here?" someone asked.


	17. One of Them

_Chapter 17._

_ One of them_

I still didn't move. Thankfully, I had prepared for my bad luck to appear here. I pulled out a pair of dark colored contacts and placed them in my eyes.

"Who are you?" the female voice asked in a higher tone, she was afraid.

I turned to see the queen. She was staring at me in fear. Her hand was frozen on the light switch. I thought quickly and hoped she didn't recognize me.

"Hey, the guards let me in. I was looking for a safe place to stay. They told me to wait in here while they found one of you."

Penelope's fear was replaced by confusion. "Why wouldn't you be safe?"

I worked up some fake tears. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I am not…me anymore," I sobbed and looked around confused. "I want to eat all the time. And …I've killed so many people." I sat down and put my head in my hands, pretending to cry more.

"Oh, don't cry honey." I felt her hand touch my hair. She pulled me gently to me feet. "There is nothing wrong with you. Did you just change?"

"I t-think so," I stuttered, wiping my eyes a few times.

"Come with me." She draped her arm over my shoulders with concern in her eyes.

My plan was working, even though I just made it up. She thought I was a vampire. It was a very easy thing to do when you didn't have green eyes.

"Are you thirsty?" she murmured sweetly.

"Yes," I lied, trying to sound upset about it.

"We have some blood in the fridge. I can heat it up for you," Penelope smiled at me.

"Thank you," I sniffed.

She rubbed my shoulder then walked down another long hallway. She was going to the kitchen, I assumed. I looked around nervously, hoping the others hadn't made it down to this level yet. I was going to be in a lot of trouble. I could already see Xavier's furious face. Penelope was back in less than a minute.

"The maid will bring it out in a few minutes." She told me politely.

I smiled at her and thanked her again.

"Come with me." She held her hand out for me to take it.

I was skeptical at first, but she might suspect something if I didn't do it.

"I want to show you something," Penelope told me after I took her hand.

We walked into an elevator that was sitting at the end of the dark hall. She pressed the silver button that read, F1. Good, I was getting closer to the basement.

"What is your name?" Penelope asked.

I shouldn't give her my real name. "I'm Violet Rouse." It was close enough.

"I am Penelope Reneflause," she smiled. "I'm very sorry I forgot to mention it."

I shook my head quickly. "That's okay; I didn't think to mention mine either." I looked down at the ground, like I was ashamed.

Emilie would have been proud of me. My acting skills had really improved. "Where are we going?" I whispered nervously when we walked out of the elevator and passed many different animal heads.

"To get you a different set of clothes," Penelope replied. She looked over my clothes with distaste.

I guess burglar black wasn't in.

"How old are you Violet?"

I had to really pay attention. I wasn't use to my fake name. I blinked, oh today is my birthday, but I stopped aging almost a month ago.

"Eighteen," I said quietly, hopefully she wouldn't detect my uncertainty. Penelope opened a set of large double doors. Strangely, the doorknobs were in the middle, instead of the side.

"This is my room," Penelope informed me.

My eyebrows shot up as my mouth fell open. And I thought our mansion was beautiful, this blew it all away. Across the room were two more doors, side by side. She opened them at the same time. The closet was bigger than the bedroom and the bedroom was the size of our old living room.

"Do you want something to sleep in or just for tomorrow?" Penelope asked while pointing up at a sign.

Like in a grocery store, she had signs in the air labeled for different outfits and accessories. Then there were arrows pointing in the right direction. It made sense. The closet was big enough to be a store, but I couldn't see why one person would need all that. It was ridiculous.

However, I could picture Emilie with this type of closet. She would need it with how many hours we spent trying to find what she wanted.

"This is fabulous!" She held up a very expensive looking outfit, which looked like it should be on the runway.

I took it from her slowly, afraid to damage it. "Thank you."

Penelope wouldn't leave till I put them on, so I slipped them on quick. She turned as I did so and luckily I was able to hide my weapon belt underneath the long silk shirt. She smiled when I told her I was done.

"Would you like me to take you to your quarters?"

"Yes, I would," I forced a smile. I followed her out of the room. It was nice to finally have good luck for a change. "Is it just you here?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

Penelope looked at me for a brief second then laughed a little. "In this place?" she threw her hand in the air. "No. Of course not," she laughed again. I have a husband and three children. Then there are the maids, cooks, butlers, and guards. She went on and on.

I nodded, pretending to pay attention.

"I would introduce you, but everyone is asleep. And I normally would be as well…I just haven't been able to sleep lately." Penelope still talked nonstop.

I looked around the many living and sitting rooms we passed. I don't think there is one staircase that leads to the basement. The only way was the elevator, but there were cameras in it. Perhaps, I could get down there through the vent system.

"Here's one of the guest rooms. We have coffins and beds, whichever you prefer." Penelope opened the door for me.

The maid came in with a glass of red liquid. I was surprised that she was human. I sat on the bed and thanked them both. The maid scurried away, but she didn't look frightened at all.

"Goodnight." Penelope shut the door.

I collapsed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I was not sure what to do next and then I suddenly got my inspiration. On the ceiling, (directly above my head) was a vent big enough for at least one person. I chugged the blood she'd given me then got up onto my feet. I balanced myself carefully on the bed and reached for the vent cover.

It crashed to the bed as soon as I touched it. Dust flew around the room, making me cough and sneeze. I jumped up, gripping the edge tight and pulled myself up in the same second. I never thought it would be so difficult to be quiet. Every time I moved, the vent creaked and echoed all around me. So I made my way down slowly, trying to always go down hill.

When I turned the corner, I tumbled down an inclined part of the vent. The bangs were loud. I could only hope that no one heard it. At least I was closer to the basement, though. A little bit ahead of me was another vent opening.

I peered through the small slits. It was dark, but I could hear someone shuffling around. The light came on and I was watching Olivia in her room again. This time Xavier wasn't here to stop me, but was it really her? Or was she one of the doubles?

There was another human in the room with her. It was a woman with almost the same color hair; who was on her knees pleading to Olivia. Olivia had her back facing the woman, and was staring blankly out the window. The very one I had seen her through a few hours ago.

"Why should I? What have you done for me?" Olivia asked while fixing her hair in the refection of the window.

"I will do anything," the woman vowed, desperation deep in her voice.

"Anything," Olivia whispered. Then she turned to the woman with a strange expression on her face. It reminded me of a witch right before they were about to cast a spell.

"You get one chance to prove yourself to me." She looked up at a clock thoughtfully. "In town there is a family of hybrids. Find this one." Olivia handed her a picture.

I leaned in closer, turning my head to the side for a better view. It was me, of course. I should have known, but that woman was definitely not proving herself tonight. The vent creaked and shuttered. I stiffened. Olivia looked around the room in confusion, but she never noticed the vent thankfully.

"Go now and bring her to me alive."

The woman got up and ran to the door.

"Oh, wait I forgot." Olivia murmured absentmindedly.

As she turned around, Olivia was there in front of her. Her fangs snapped out as she sunk them into the woman's neck. The woman started to yell in pain, but then stopped. It was what she wanted the whole time.

"Thank you," she whispered as Olivia tossed her to the side.

"When you change, find her," she said, and then floated out of the room.

The woman lay there, breathing roughly. I was positive that I could continue without her hearing me. Olivia would live for another hour longer. The vent kept getting longer and longer. I was starting to have trouble breathing, with all the dust blowing around me.

I slid down again, but at least I saw it coming this time. Now, I was able to do it quietly. Eventually, there were no more vent levels to go down to. I had finally reached my destination, or so I thought.

I kicked off the vent opening and jumped to the ground. When I lifted my head, there stood Olivia. I froze in shock for a few seconds. She appeared to be frozen as well, but then again she always looked like that.

"Who are you?"

I gave her a weird look. Oh, it wasn't Olivia. I pulled the stake out of my belt and shoved it into her heart, just when she started to attack. She screamed and tried to pull it out as the flames consumed her body.

I stared in amazement as they turned my favorite colors again. Where was I supposed to hide the flaming corpse? The only close place I could see was the vent I came from. So I guess that would have to work.

I hopped down, after closing the vent back up. I was in a small office, (well it was small compared to the rest of the rooms). It would be decent sized room in a normal home. I ran my hands over all the olive colored files, till I saw one that caught my eye.

It was hiding in the middle of all the others and was labeled, _Hybrid Extinction. _I glanced around nervously before I opened it. Inside, there were many pictures of different people and their details listed below. It didn't escape my attention that each one of them had bright green eyes.

At the end of the file was a picture of Emilie. It also had our last address and her other family member's names. I luckily, was not among them. Fear swam through me for a second when I saw some of the pictures were labeled deceased.

They had finally figured out a way to kill us.

They knew how to kill us. And yet, they did not do so at the lake. Were they saving us for something important? Or did they just want to keep us for experimenting?

I was only a little relieved when Emilie's picture had nothing written on it. I put some blank paper back into the file, while I stuffed the real ones under my shirt. After I put the files back exactly where they were, I peeked out the office door. I stared out into the room with wide eyes.

There were at least ten female bodies in glass containers, each one of them was a double for Olivia. Was everyone trying to kill her? Why did she need so many? They had to be destroyed somehow. I looked around for anything that could help.

The holy water grenades were the most powerful weapon I had. And it was doubtful that they would do any good here. I will have to mention it to the other's and come back later before we left. If we are able to leave, that is.

I ran swiftly across the hall, away from the nightmare of Olivia's. This had to be the basement. There wasn't one window that I saw so far, plus it was damp and musty. Where was Emilie? I started opening the metal doors, which were placed evenly at either side of me.

Every one of them lead to a small room; (they were similar to an interrogation room). Although, there was only one single chair and it was stained in blood. Every one of them was also empty. I was a little appreciative of that. I'd hate to walk in on a torture session. Probably about a million doors later, I figured out that they didn't keep the hybrids in this part of the basement.

It was only a matter of time before someone found me. I was betting that someone would be Xavier. I had to hurry. Once he found me I would never see the outside world again. How many times have I run off on him now?

I thought about calling her name, but I most likely wasn't the only one down here. Just as I thought about it, the door at the end of the hall creaked open. I hid in one of the torture rooms next to me. Then I peeked out the small, pathetic excuse for a window. The longer haired vampire, (Vladimir I remembered) came out wearing a doctor's coat that was covered in blood splatter. Nicholas, (the short haired one) was pushing a cart in front of him.

A body of a male hybrid was lying across the top of it. Well that confirmed it. We can officially die. My hands were shaking the minute I thought of Emilie.

_Please let her still be alive_, I thought desperately.

They were laughing about something. I wasn't sure what, but I assumed they were going to dispose of the body. So now I knew which way not to go. Instead, I went through the door they came from. This was what I was planning on doing anyway.

Once I could no longer hear their voices, I flitted down the hall and deciding to use my nose this time. I felt stupid for not thinking of it before. How many times have I done this to myself? It helped a lot. I was able to pick up an odd smell, though I didn't recognize it. I could tell it was from my own species.

I passed a small lunchroom, which looked like it belonged to a prison. How strange. The only thing I could guess was they were keeping them healthy enough to experiment on them. After that were many empty cells, some of them had blood stains on the floor. At the end, some of them were occupied.

Six pairs of weak, green eyes glared at me. When I stepped closer, they flinched away in fear. One man and woman didn't seem as frightened. They stared at me curiously.

"Have you come to see the freak show?" the man said coldly.

"Not exactly," I mumbled, searching each cell for Emilie.

"You're not a vampire!" The woman said in shock.

I ignored her. No one in here needed to know what I was or was not.

"Who are you looking for?" the woman called and pressed her face against the bars to see me better.

I had to go talk to her or else she might make my presence known. I scowled and stood in front of her cell. "Have you seen a smaller girl with light brown hair?"

The woman turned her head to the side. "There has been so many hybrids come through here…I can't remember all of them." She pulled her hat off while running her fingers through her short mess of red hair.

"Never mind, thank you anyway." I trudged away from her before she could speak to me again. I passed many staring green eyes, but none of which were Emilie's. I was sure it was getting close to morning. A door creaked open and I leapt onto one of the cells. I hid in between it and the ceiling.

The king and all three of his children walked through the cells, observing all the hybrids. As they walked by, Charles sprayed something on the ones that didn't flinch away. They fell to the floor screaming and clawing at their faces. Charles knelt down in front of a dark haired girl, whose cell I happened to be on top of.

"Do you like it?" he asked in a calming voice, yet it made him sound more sinister. "I just had a few private individuals make it for me." He looked down at his spray bottle in pride. "They found a way to keep silver in its liquid form long enough to cause pain to whomever it touches."

Olivia stood behind him with a smile on her face. It was really her, (I think).

"Where's the new one?" Charles turned to Olivia, after he stopped spraying the sobbing girl.

"She's in a different area." Olivia put her finger to her lips thoughtfully. "Just in case, something was to happen." She had a strange gleam in her eyes, like she was leaving something out.

I would have to get her alone and try out my newly acquired torture knowledge. Hopefully, I paid attention to Amelia enough. Charles handed the spray bottle to Vladimir, who sprayed it a few times himself. All the hybrids scooted as far away as the cell would allow.

They needed to die, that much was certain. Why had no one tried to kill them before? I would have gotten a group together and…maybe that's how all the other's got caught. Charles and his children calmly passed through without harming anyone else. Until they got to the short haired woman I was speaking to.

"No not again," she muttered.

The king snapped his fingers. Then Vladimir opened the cell, after spraying her and the guy who started to attack him. That was the only way to control our kind, make us weak. At the last minute, I decided to follow them. They talked about Emilie once, so I thought maybe Olivia will mention her again. On the last cell to the right, (a little before the door they went into) sat Victor.

Charles stopped when he noticed him. I watched him walk over to his cell with an arrogant stride. Olivia and her brothers watched their father as well. They made no attempt to leave without him.

"Why hello, Victor," Charles smiled warmly.

"What do you want?" Victor spat.

"It's nice to see you again. Did you notice that this is the same cell you were in a hundred years ago?"

"Yes."

"Good, good. I hope you will enjoy your stay here. I've always been fond of our little conversations," Charles cooed.

Victor said nothing.

Charles snapped his fingers at Vladimir. He came to his father at once and handed him the spray bottle. "I had this idea, you see. I wanted to capture silver in liquid form. It was a very hard concept to imagine, but I finally perfected it. Would you care to try it?"

Victor glared at him, disgusted.

"You were our first hybrid. You are different from the others and I know you know it what ways. I would love to see if this affects you as well. The other hybrids just love its effects." Charles raised the bottle and drenched it all over Victors face and arms.

Nothing happened at first. Charles narrowed his eyes in surprise. I leaned away from the cell and looked more closely at Victor. After about a minute, Victor's skin started to burn. I was surprised that Victor was able to endure it without a word. His body started to shake and his face changed into one of pure agony. I closed my eyes, unable to watch anymore.

The silver must have lost its effect because Charles stopped laughing. "It's quite a wonder isn't it Victor? I often wondered if maybe we would work together one day, like we did in the past. I now know that it's impossible. We will never be as close as we once were."

Victor cussed and then spit in Charles' face.

Charles was calm, which was something I didn't expect. He pulled a handkerchief with hand stitched initials in it and wiped his face. "I'm sorry you feel that way Victor. Perhaps some time alone will change your mind." Charles walked away and left with his children.

I wanted to talk to Victor, but I might lose where Olivia was going. He was lying on the bed; staring up at nothing. I would come back for him after I got Emilie. It was very easy to track them, to my surprise. The room they went into led to a brightly lit hallway.

The woman they took may have been weak, but she put up a fight all the way there. "No, no!" She screamed and clawed at them.

Olivia rolled her eyes then turned down a different hallway. I changed my plans drastically and followed her. How she was able to walk so gracefully, was beyond me. I was always jealous of the way she floated into the room.

After about five turns and four different hallways, I got impatient. She finally entered one of the many doors. I waited two minutes then opened the door. Darkness surrounded me, or maybe it just seemed that way cause of the bright halls.

I recognized the room. I'm pretty sure it was all of Olivia's doubles that gave it away. She was walking in front of all the glass displays they were in, admiring them. "Aren't they amazing," she mused.

I didn't realize there was someone else in the room. I thought she was talking to me at first, but that's probably because I talk to myself all the time.

"They have come in handy over the years. I couldn't tell you how many times one of these died."

I saw someone I wished I hadn't. I cussed under my breath. Why did Victor have to involve her? I knew she couldn't be trusted. I stared at Katharine with hatred. No one has ever been in more danger than she was right now.

"Should I ask her anything else?" Katharine asked, while swinging a silver knife in her hand.

I wondered why she wasn't burned, but then remembered she was a vampire. The silver had to be dipped in holy water first. Behind Olivia, Katharine coughed weakly then got sick on the floor.

Olivia made a gross face. "Get someone to clean this up, and then continue interrogating her."

Katharine nodded while making the sickly cough again. Then she walked right past me. How did she not notice me? When Olivia left the room, however; I wasn't so lucky. She caught my scent and turned slowly. Her fangs were out and her face was hostile.

"You!" she hissed, venom in her voice.

I cringed away from her suddenly terrifying face.

"How did you get in here?" she continued.

My right hand clutched around the gun on my belt.

"You got away from her didn't you," Olivia cussed under her breath.

I was confused at first, but then remembered the blonde woman who was supposed to find me. Olivia thought she did. I took out the gun and shot as fast as I could, however; it wasn't fast enough. Olivia laughed a witch's cackle, though it didn't sound quite the same coming from her perfect voice.

There wasn't enough time for me to look around, before I knew it Olivia was on top of me. I hit the floor, and the silver gun slid under one of the doubles displays.

"Isn't that a pity," she smiled.

My legs flipped up. I attempting to throw her off, but she moved away before I could. I was on my feet again, crouched in a defensive position.

"Did you get captured on purpose just to save her?" she laughed sweetly, enjoying herself. She flitted around the room, stopping every once in awhile to insult or strike me.

I jumped over to the glass container, trying to retrieve the gun. I was knocked against the wall, right before I reached it.

She stood before me, teeth bared. "You ruined my life!" She then charged towards me.

I took out one of the grenades and threw it in her face. Olivia flew backwards into the glass displays. It caused a domino effect and each of the ten glass containers crashed against each other. Water flooded the room and the bodies covered the floor.

Olivia sat up, her face was covered in blood and broken glass. The rest of her face was burned to a crisp from the holy water. The other Olivia's didn't wake up. Thank god. I couldn't fight all of them.

I ran to the right of the room, dodging bodies as Olivia came at me. My gun was lying in the corner of the room. I picked it up and shot her in the stomach. The body at my feet slowly opened its eyes. I screamed in panic and shot it in the head.

Olivia didn't stay down long. It was just long enough to take the bullet out of her stomach and hiss at me one more time. Her doubles grabbed me from behind and I fell backwards, startled. That allowed her to pick up a sharp piece of glass and shoved it into my side. I gasped and fell onto my knees. She pulled me back up by my hair.

"Did you really think you would win?" she stuck the knife into my shoulder.

I cried out in rage and fought against the arms holding me down. The other doubles came to life and stood behind her, taking away my only chance for escape. Derrick never told me what to do when you were surrounded by vampires. Maybe there was nothing you could do.

Olivia picked up the gun that lay at my feet. "Where did you find this?" She twirled it around her fingers by the handle. "This use to be ours you know." Olivia then hit me in the head with it.

The sickening crack echoed through the room. I almost passed out from the pain, and my lack of sleep didn't help any. Her doubles chuckled darkly, and then the ones holding my arms pulled me to my feet. They were all smiling menacingly at me. I looked away and focused on the real Olivia.

"I had always dreamed of getting married ever since I was young." She turned away from me to look at something in the distance.

I couldn't see what. The blood was running down my face too thickly.

"When the time finally came, I was overjoyed," she smiled lightly. Then she turned and shot me in the leg.

I yelled as my legs buckled to the ground. They pulled me back up and I had to lean on one leg. I tried really hard not to let any tears spill over. She would not get the satisfaction of seeing that. Something moved in the corner where the light didn't touch, however; I wasn't sure since the blood had impaired my eye sight.

"He was the perfect gentlemen and everything I had ever wanted. I didn't even have a problem with his looks. He was perfect." She looked up, smiling at the memory of my husband.

"Then in a blink of an eye, it was all gone." She turned to glare at me, more hostile then she's even been. "Why? Why'd you take him from me?" She screamed and held the glass against my throat.

"I didn't," I choked out and the glass went deep into my skin.

"Take her into one of the rooms." Olivia pointed out the door, while plucking the glass out of her face.

I was dragged out of the room and back through the maze of bright hallways. I stared at the floor and my blood dripping down onto it. I counted the drops one by one. When there was twenty four, I felt my eye lids get heavy. I knew I shouldn't go to sleep, but I couldn't stop myself. My eyes shut and who knows if they would ever open again.

When I opened them again, I was in a very familiar dark grey room. I was sitting in the one single chair. The two doubles were lying on the floor ahead of me, blood leaking from their throats. I looked around dizzily. No one else was in the room and I was not tied to the chair.

The expensive outfit Penelope gave me was now covered in blood. Great, I sighed. There was no way I could hide that from Xavier. I was still weak from the bullet in my leg, but I was surprised to see that it was no longer in there.

Who helped me? I stumbled across the room, barely missing the bodies. I still had my belt on and I staked them both. The colors filled the room as I wiped the blood off my face.

The halls were empty as well. What should I do? I felt obligated to stick to the plan and I needed to find Emilie. I was so weak, though. I knew I should find the others. Of course, I never did what the responsible or safe thing to do was.

I went back to the cells to talk to Victor and some of the other hybrids. One of them had to of seen her. It was a short walk there. They all looked up at me again went I came through the door. The same red headed woman called out to me again. She had fresh bruises and cuts all over her face.

"What happened, did you get caught?" her eyes were wide when she appraised my appearance.

I nodded slowly, stumbling a bit. Then I pulled my blood soaked hair into a ponytail, so I could see better. I leaned against her cell; closing my eyes for a brief second.

"Here," she said.

I looked to see her handing me a cup. I reached through the bars and took it from her.

"It's all they give us, but you need it more than me."

It was a small cup of blood. I looked at her smiling face, she was very kind. I almost didn't want to drink it, but its warm aroma filled my nose. Then I ended up downing it all and licking the bottom of the cup.

"Thank you," I said when I was sure there wasn't one drop left.

She nodded. "I hope you find who you're looking for."

I smiled at her then asked a few more people about Emilie. None of them remembered her, even when I showed them the picture from the file.

It didn't help that it was partially covered in blood, but you could still tell what she looked like. I went through every cell till I got to the end, which was Victor's cell. He turned when I stopped in front of him. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped.

"What happened?" he sat up, staring at my cuts and bruises.

"It doesn't matter. I'm fine," I lied.

He narrowed his eyes at me, suspecting the lie. "Where are the others? Are they okay?"

I shrugged. "They aren't in any cells, so I assume so. I'm on my own down here."

"How did that happen?"

"I let it happen," I mumbled, looking down at the ground. Victor had wiped off the dry silver from his face. I was staring at the shiny pieces of it on the floor.

"Uh huh," he said slowly. "I found out where they're keeping Emilie."

I jerked my head up. "You did! Where is she?" I demanded.

"There's a cellar under the basement," he began. "I heard the guards talking about it when they got me." He looked around, making sure we were alone. "You shouldn't go down there alone."

Yeah there are lots of things I shouldn't do, yet I still do them. "How do you get there?"

He frowned. "In the elevator is the only way I saw."

Great, it was full of cameras. "Thanks."

"Be careful Victoria. I really don't like you doing this on your own," Victor called.

"I know I'm sorry. Tell Xavier the same," I called back then heard Victor sigh. I went back through the cells and towards the elevator.

I hated going back to the room where I last saw Olivia, but Emilie was more important then myself. The elevator was just beyond that room and I hoped no more doubles were in there. They should have found something better to do by now. I stopped right on the corner across from the room. Derrick was climbing out of the same vent I came out of earlier. They had finally made it down. I didn't see how I could make it past them unnoticed.

"What level are we on?" Anna asked slowly, she was still upset about Victor or maybe me.

"The basement I think," Derrick was staring at his electronic device.

Amelia and Xavier came out of the vent after Anna. The skeleton fell out after them. Anna screamed and jumped back. "Where did that come from?" she cried.

Amelia pulled out the shiny red stake. "Victoria," she smirked. "She beat us down here and it looks like it was an hour ago."

Xavier's face was slightly relieved, but the mask of worry and horror was still evident on his face. He immediately took off. "Let's go." He hurried into the hall.

I went behind another corner when he came out of the office and went into the hall.

"What happened in there?" Amelia came out and wandered into the flooded room.

I wondered if the doubles' bodies were still in there. I heard Xavier cuss and then I remembered that the room was covered in my blood. (I'm sure there wasn't one spot not covered in blood). I looked down at my blood trail that led right past me.

Oh great.

He was already freaking out and following the blood splatter. Of course, he would know it was mine. It smells just like me. Everyone followed him with grave faces. I went into another room, so I wouldn't be seen.

Eventually, I heard them start to run down the hall. They would only find a couple of dead Olivia's. I went past the flooded room, which was empty. That was always good.

I started to run to the elevator. There were four cameras, one on each side. I saw this when the door opened. There were also a few guards coming out of it, who just happened to see me.

"Hey! One of them shouted. Then they all ran towards me.

I pulled out a crossbow and shot the first guard in the face. He fell to the floor and slid across the water. The second guard hit me in the face with something silver. It burned like hell, but in the process I pulled out a stake. He backed away from me, however; it was too late. The third guard threw silver throwing stars at me; I would have laughed if my life wasn't in danger. He was wearing a ninja outfit.

I dodged the first two stars, but was nailed in the shoulder with the third. I cried out and ripped the star out of my smoking skin. The guard laughed and then took out a silver handgun. Oh great, another weapon that they had stolen from me. He laughed again as he raised the gun and aimed it at my head.

I jumped up to the ceiling and gripped a loose pipe. Then I flipped off of it and slammed into the guard. He was not expecting it, so I took out the stake and shoved it into his heart. Just when he exploded into flames, I jumped onto the next one and did the same. The last guard was starting to heal, however; it was not enough to save him. With a low scream, I shoved the stake into him. I was breathing roughly for a few seconds, but then something caught my eye.

Something shimmered on the ground in the middle of the hall. I picked it up to see that is was Derrick's laser. If that wasn't a miracle, I didn't know what was. I shut the cameras off one by one. Then I walked into the elevator and pushed the last button. I didn't know what awaited me below, but Emilie had to be there.


	18. Flowers

_Chapter 18. _

_Flowers_

The doors slowly slid opened, but I was hesitant. I peeked out each side and then ducked back in. I repeated this twice before going out. It was dark and musty and water dripped on me from above.

I moved the spider webs away from my face, so I could see around me. It was an old wine cellar, even all the wine bottles still sat on shelves in the corner. The floor was concrete, but it was so old it cracked. Most of it was practically dirt now.

They would find out from Victor where I was soon and be down here at any second. I had to be quick about this. I was lucky I hadn't run into anything scary yet. My mind pictured those green monster things. What the heck were they?

"Emilie!" I called out; hoping no one else was down here. Something shuffled around the corner, and like an idiot I moved towards it.

Emilie was lying on the concrete. Her face was ashen and weak. I was a little relieved when I saw there was nothing dangerous, but it was short lived. I had never seen her look worse. Her dress was in shreds and dried blood was caked in her hair. It was also tangled around her face.

"Emilie, are you alive?" I sat in front of her and brushed the hair out of her eyes. She looked up at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Victoria." She smiled weakly and tried to reach out to touch me, but her arm fell.

"I'm here." I touched her hand.

She barely gripped mine back.

"What have they done to you?" I stared in horror at her cut up body. There wasn't a place on her where she wasn't bleeding. I reached under her carefully, she moaned as I lifted her. "I'm getting you out of here," I whispered.

"Flower," she said.

Her mental state must not be good, I noted.

"Flower," she moaned.

I carried her back to the elevator. She gasped and flinched in pain the whole way there. I wished I had blood to give her. My wounds were healed now, but I should have saved that blood for Emilie.

She pulled at my hair, saying flower over and over. She needed help right away. The doors shut before I pushed the button. Someone was calling the elevator from the first floor.

We had to hide now! I looked around till I saw a small door on the ceiling. I put Emilie down carefully, who was still murmuring nonsense.

"Where are my flowers Victoria?" she called in a higher pitch as I opened the hatch.

I picked her up again then jumped to the top of the elevator, making it shutter a little. It stopped just as I laid Emilie down. "Shhh," I told her, but she just asked for a flower. Penelope walked in, pushing the button to the basement.

"He never lets me down there. I'm always out of everything …I'll show him," Penelope muttered under her breath.

She didn't know about the things down there? No wonder she was so kind, but could I trust her? I didn't have time to think about it.

"Flower," Emilie mumbled, making our presence known.

"Who's there?" Penelope called out.

I hopped down, leaving Emilie there just in case she couldn't be trusted.

"Violet…what did you do to your clothes?" she looked down in shock.

"Umm your daughter beat me up. I need your help." The truth was usually the best option.

"Olivia?" she stared at me with her mouth agape. "What do you need help with?" she said slowly.

I filled her in on everything I had seen and what they talked about. I even showed her the files I stole. She stared at the ground, her face unreadable. I stopped talking and waited to see if she would help me.

"It's hard to wrap one's head around," she finally murmured. "I thought we were better than normal vampires and to find out were worse…" she trailed off, her eyes starting to mist. "What do want me to do?" she asked, wiping the tears away.

"I need blood, lots of blood," I told her quickly.

Penelope nodded. "Come with me."

I got Emilie off the elevator roof and followed her. As we walked, I tried to make a plan B in case she ended up double crossing me. It wasn't turning out so well.

"Why does she keep mentioning flowers?" Penelope asked, confused.

"I don't have a clue. She's sick," I sighed.

Penelope pulled the blood out of the fridge and started to drain it into Emilie's mouth. Instantly, the cuts and bruises started to heal. However, her mental state stayed intact.

"What's wrong with her?" I panicked.

"You said they found a way to kill you, perhaps they did it to her." Penelope looked down at the ground again.

"No!" I uttered, tears spilling over down my face.

"We'll make them give us the cure." Penelope gripped my arm and looked over at the elevator.

"Flowwerr," Emilie moaned.

"You can take those out now," she told me when the elevator doors closed.

"What?" I looked around me, confused.

"Your contacts," she pointed to her own eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that." I reached up to take them out, which was difficult with Emilie in my arms.

"It's alright I understand." She looked at Emilie's face, which was going paler by the second. "We'll save her," she promised me.

I hoped she wasn't just another disappointment.

"I can't believe they were doing this behind my back. What else have they done?" she stared straight ahead, apparently talking to herself.

The door opened to Derrick's surprised face. Penelope flinched back, almost hiding behind me.

"Hi," I managed to say.

He stared at me then down at Emilie's body.

"I found her," I told him.

"So I see." He still hadn't overcome the shock.

Amelia popped her head out from behind him. "What happened?" she glared at Penelope then stared at Emilie in shock.

I could barely utter the words. "S-she's dying." I came out and Derrick took her out of my hands. Penelope stayed behind me, cowering in fear.

I soon had my own fear to face. Xavier flitted down the hall towards us. Emilie opened her eyes again and looked around. She laughed when she looked up at Derrick's face. He stared down at her with a weird expression.

"She's not well," I told him.

"I can see that," he said sharply.

Xavier gripped me by the elbow, turning me to face him. I tried to speak, but he put his hands roughly on either side of my face. I stared at him while he looked over every inch of my face. His furious glare was exactly what I expected him to look like.

Xavier released my face and proceeded to check the rest of my body. I finally figured it out. He was checking if I was hurt. When he finished, I was crushed against his chest.

"What's wrong with her?" I couldn't see who asked.

I tried to pull away, but he just held onto me tighter. I heard Victor's voice answer.

"They poisoned her," his voice sounded grim.

When did they let him out and how?

"Why are you here?" Amelia asked.

Penelope briefly explained what she was doing or what we planned to do. I tried to say she's with me, but it came out gargled against his chest. Xavier turned my head slightly, so I could talk and see a little.

"She's with me," I repeated. Penelope moved closer to me and Xavier pulled me farther away from her.

"Where is Charles?" she asked them nervously.

"We spotted them in the testing area," Amelia scowled.

Penelope bowed to her and walked in that direction. She peeked behind herself occasionally, not trusting them.

"Wait!" I started to call, till I heard a sharp growl erupt from Xavier. I shut my mouth and looked up at his furious face. I had pushed him enough for one day.

"Follow her," Victor commanded and we took off down the hall.

I was still pressed against his chest, but I was on the side if him so I could walk. Xavier still kept both arms tightly around me as we walked. I didn't dare look up at his face. I was sure to regret it. We passed the kind red haired woman. I gave her a smile when she waved at me.

"Did you find her?" she yelled when we turned the corner.

"Yes," I called back.

"Did you find the flowers?"

I would have stopped walking if Xavier had let me. How did she know about that?

"What?" I yelled back at her, but it was too late. We were in the bright halls now. I wanted to ask him to go back, but I was in no position to ask him for anything. Emilie started singing about flowers now.

"Roossess," she sang out, it echoed through the halls.

Anna touched her forehead. She looked like she were about to cry. "It will be okay." Anna patted her head.

Emilie paid no attention to her and continued with her flower song. Then suddenly she stopped and stared at me. "I remember you," she beamed.

I smiled painfully at her. "I remember you too." I touched her hand. It was limp and lifeless. There had to be a way to save her. We couldn't give up. Penelope looked lost in the vast halls, but she eventually followed the sound of Charles' yelling.

Anna walked very close to Derrick while she murmured to Emilie. One of her hand's clenched tightly around Emilie's. I really doubted Emilie could understand anything right now, but I suppose it made Anna feel better. I wished Emilie would talk about something different for a change. The flower songs were starting to get on my nerves. However, it was strange that the red haired woman had mentioned them too. I will have to go talk to her about that later.

Penelope stopped directly outside the door and turned to us, finally noticing that she was being followed. "I will go talk to him for a minute and find out what's going on." She looked at me and no one else.

"So I guess we'll wait," I murmured awkwardly.

Victor didn't look like that was part of his plan at all, but what else were we supposed to do? I had no idea if Emilie could be saved or if she even was dying. Maybe, all the tests just left her brain fried. Xavier still held me tight against his side. When we stopped, I was crushed to his chest again.

I took Emilie from Derrick, so Xavier would loosen up his hold on me. It was still awkward to hold her because he refused to let go of me completely. I was beginning to think he would never let me go again. This was going to be an interesting marriage. Emilie played with my hair when she came to again and laughed like a two year old.

"Emilie, are you in there at all?" Xavier stared at her, a deep frown set on his face.

"Flower?" she looked up at us questioningly. Then she coughed up blood.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his side. I could still hear Charles and Penelope yelling in the next room. It worried me and I had a feeling I should be in there.

"What kind of flowers do you want Em?" I asked to distract myself from my breaking point.

"Roses," she smiled up at me, and then coughed out more blood again.

Of course, that's our favorite flower. Also, the kind she handed me in my dream. I turned my head to the side thoughtfully. My dreams had all come true, or at least part of them did. They had been trying to tell me something. The roses she handed me were colored different than normal ones. What kind were they?

"You're pretty," Emilie said, while reaching for my hair again.

"Why do you want roses?" I asked her, hoping she knew more than she was leading on. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. They were probably thinking I was going crazy myself for added to the shenanigans.

"I need them." She looked deeply into my eyes and nodded. "I need them now." She stared at me so intently and fearful that I believed her.

Where was I supposed to find roses?

The woman in the cell mentioned flowers. I will visit her sooner rather than later, maybe there were roses here. I had to go speak to her again.

"Xavier let me go or come with me," I told him bluntly.

He looked down at me with narrowed eyes.

"Now," I urged. "Will you take Emilie?" I asked, handing her to Amelia.

She nodded, but watched us leave curiously.

"Where do you want to go now?" Xavier was still very angry with me.

I would have to explain everything and do something special for him later. "I had a dream Emilie gave me flowers and now she keeps mentioning them," I told him.

"So?" he glared down at me, still mad.

"So this woman out here also mentioned flowers," I explained, but I wasn't getting through to him.

"You just want to talk to this woman." Xavier rolled his eyes.

"Yes," I tried pulling him, but I ended up being drug myself.

"Let's get this over with" he sighed.

The red haired woman was lying in bed. The man was asleep in the other one.

"Hey," the woman said. Then she sat up when she noticed me. "I knew you weren't a vamp," she pointed to my eyes.

"Yeah," I smiled. Then I realized that never once have I asked her name. "I'm Victoria," I told her. I didn't bother to introduce Xavier; he would probably be rude anyway.

"I'm Roseland Theodore," she smiled at me. "I've been in here the longest." She looked around at the others. "I know everything there is to know." Roseland winked at me.

That's what I was hoping for.

I smiled at her, however; she could tell that something was wrong.

"Is your friend alright?" she walked over to me.

Xavier pulled me away from her slightly.

"No," I shook my head. "She isn't at all."

She made a confused face. "Well did you give her the flowers?"

"What? What flowers?" I asked desperately.

Her green eyes widened and she gasped. "Go get the flowers!"

I shook my head, startled. "Where are they?"

She gazed up at the clock, the light made her eyes turn orange. "She probably has them now, and there's not much time left."

"Who does?" I whispered, but I'm sure I could guess who it was.

"Promise you'll get me out of here?" she turned back to me.

"Deal," I said without thinking and heard Xavier groan behind me.

"They talk about it when they're killing us. Hybrid roses are what they're called. '_Oh if only we had some. Then you would live'_, she quoted. Olivia would have taken them."

I had guessed right. "Do you know where she is?"

Roseland looked around quickly; her red hair looked like flames dancing. "Maybe, she's in the experimental area with all the failed experiments. Hurry, she's only got a short amount of time left."

I thanked her and we ran back to the others.

"Blue moon!" Roseland yelled when we got into the hall.

That was odd, but she wanted me to remember it I'm sure. Perhaps now Xavier would believe me. Emilie may have been going mad from what ever they put in her, but she was not stupid. She had remembered how to cure herself and kept telling us constantly. I felt like the idiot.

Amelia had decided to come with us, leaving Emilie in the care of Derrick and Victor. We went on to search for the experimental area. I flitted down the hall, with Xavier still holding onto my arm. We needed to find her now.

"So what happened to you?" Amelia looked down at my clothes as we ran.

I decided to make it very brief so Xavier wouldn't freak out again. "I got in a fight, but I won." A little white lie never hurt anyone either.

"Why did you change your clothes?"

I looked through two doors before I answered. "I was posing as a vampire and Penelope didn't like what I was wearing."

"Who did you get into a fight with?" Xavier asked slowly, opening the door I was going to check.

"Olivia," I sighed. "Many, many Olivia's," I added so I wouldn't seem so weak.

He blinked and then he looked sad again.

I shouldn't have said anything. "I fine now, no damage done." I blew it off.

Xavier ignored me and continued to open doors. Most of them were either closets or empty labs. I believe we had found what we were looking for when we came to the only set of double doors. Inside were tons of glass cases on display. A few of them held the disgusting green monsters that attacked us earlier.

I flinched away from them in terror. I think they were dead, through…or asleep. Either way I couldn't stand looking at them. Empty pots sat in the corner, the light still shinned bright above them.

"Roseland was right. Olivia took the flowers." I sat down in defeat and put my head in my hands.

Amelia looked around at the different chemicals and file work. "Those monsters are failed attempts of the hybrids."

"What?" Xavier asked.

"They tried to make hybrids and it all went to hell. That was before they created Victor, of course," Amelia explained.

He nodded slowly. Then behind us, all the glass cases exploded.

"What the hell!" Amelia turned and was instantly knocked across the room. She fell into a fish tank and water spilled out all around her.

I was pulled behind Xavier, who was growling furiously. "You're dead," he hissed.

Both brothers, (Vladimir and Nicholas) stood before us with their fangs out. Neither of them said a word, yet at the same time they came at us. I was shoved back across the room and I landed by a desk. Papers and a computer fell on my lap.

"Xavier!" I yelled in horror as they both had him pinned on the wall.

Amelia rolled her head to the side, finally becoming conscious. Then she slid through the water and tackled Nicholas. It was a big enough distraction for Xavier to grip Vladimir's throat and send him through the wall. I threw the papers and computer off me. Then I tossed one of the stakes to Amelia.

She missed, but only because Nicholas escaped her grasp. Vladimir charged through the wall, and Xavier slid underneath him. He then fell into what remained of the fish tank. Nicholas broke the glass of the display that held one of the accidental creations.

"NO!" The three of us yelled at the same time.

Amelia got to him before I did and snapped his neck. Of course, that didn't kill him, but he was disabled for a few minutes. Like we expected, the green monster opened its green eyes and stepped out of the container. Glass crunched under its enormous feet.

"Oh god," Amelia groaned and picked up the stake I threw to her. She also pulled the other silver gun out of her belt, aiming it at the creature's head.

It roared, much more higher pitched than I would have anticipated. Amelia shot when it charged at her and then she dodged out of the way at the last second. I turned back to Xavier, who was in a wrestling match on the floor. He motioned to Vladimir's back with his eyes and I noticed he was completely vulnerable. I reached for another stake on my belt.

When Xavier flipped himself onto the ground again, I stuck it into Vladimir's back. He hissed and lunged for me. I staggered back and he burst into flames. Nicholas fixed his neck in time to see his brother go down. I was pinned against the floor in seconds; all I could hear was his screams.

"Get off of her!" Xavier gripped him by the hair and Vladimir was no longer the owner of a head. Emilie would be pleased to hear that.

I watched the blood run out of the body for a moment, till Amelia screamed for help. The monster had her by the leg and was swinging her around in circles. It reminded me of something a gorilla would do. I had no idea how to kill this thing. If it was supposed to be one of us then we needed the poison they used on Emilie.

Xavier attacked it from the back, however; it threw him off easily. I picked up the silver gun that lye at my feet and shot it in the arm a couple times. The arm fell to the ground. It was still moving, which was extremely creepy.

"How do you kill it?"

Xavier shrugged. "I don't know," he yelled in panic.

Amelia was flung into another display, releasing three abnormally big werewolves. I turned slowly, almost in slow motion and shook my head.

"Could this be any harder?" I moved my head slightly to the left, missing the jagged teeth of the wolf by seconds. Amelia tackled the wolf closest to her and sunk her teeth into its neck. I snapped another one's neck, but the last and biggest one was craftier. Xavier was still trying to take down the monster. Amelia and I tried to take down the last wolf. It dodged us every time we made our typical kill moves.

"We're going to have to try something new," Amelia muttered. She changed into a wolf, taking the werewolf by surprise.

I stalked towards it and Amelia was able to take it out with the distraction. Amelia turned back and took hold of the rope Xavier had got out. I took the other end and we wrapped it around the monster everywhere we could. Xavier distracted him long enough, so we could tie it in a knot. It fell to the ground and everything around it shook like there was an earthquake.

"Find Olivia," I yelled as I flitted from the room. I could hear them running behind me. The only other place I could find her was in her room. That was a huge maybe.

A huge fight was going on when we got back to the others. Charles had attacked Penelope and was now battling the guys. Penelope was holding Emilie in the corner of the room. Her hair was a mess and hung around her face.

"Go," Amelia yelled. "I'll stay with them."

I touched Penelope's arm, she started to freak out and yell. She had never been in a fight in her life.

"Come with me," I pleaded.

Penelope ran after me, still holding Emilie. "Where are we going?" she asked when she had control of her emotions.

"Upstairs," I called back. I passed by the cells again. All the hybrids got up at stared at us in shock. After passing one in the middle, I stopped and went back.

"What are you doing?" Xavier called.

I was so glad he had finally released me. Roseland was watching me with wide eyes as I ripped open her cell. The silver coated bars burned my hands tremendously. Once the chunk of cell fell to the ground, I fanned my smoking hands out in pain.

"Ow," I moaned.

"Wow!" Roseland exclaimed as she stepped out of the cell. She carefully avoided the silver.

"Let's go." I took her and Penelope by the hand. Then I ran after Xavier. All the other hybrids were yelling behind us to be freed as well. I felt bad. I might come back for them later.

"Did you find her?" Roseland asked, keeping up easily for how weak she was.

"No!" I yelled, with panic deep in my voice. Xavier kept looking back to make sure I was okay. I smiled to reassure him I was.

"There are only minutes left now," Roseland said sadly.

The elevator came into view and we shoved ourselves into it. "Which floor is Olivia's room?"

"First," Penelope uttered.

Emilie was unconscious again, lying limply in Penelope's arms.

"Her health is going fast," Roseland whispered, while touching her face.

"What do we do with the roses if we get them?" Xavier looked at Roseland.

She arched one small red eyebrow. "I don't know, maybe eat them?"

"Great," he sighed.

The elevator doors opened and we flitted out. "Where is it?" I called back to Penelope.

"Down the hall to the right," she pointed in the right direction.

"What are we looking for?" Penelope asked, confused.

"Flowers, very bright flowers," Roseland replied, letting me know as well.

I reached the door and turned the handle. I was pulled in with the door locking behind me. I could hear the others banging against the door, trying to open it. Something hard slammed on it and the door moved in the middle. That had to be Xavier. I could hear him screaming on the other side of the door. Another large dent went through it and he cussed.

The blonde woman, (who was now a vampire) sat on the couch staring at me. Her lips turned up in the corners when she recognized me. Olivia smiled at me from the back of the room. The snow fell behind her from the extremely large window. I watched the woman carefully. She didn't look like she planned on moving anytime soon.

"You killed my doubles, how?" Olivia stepped forward with her hands behind her back. It didn't escape my attention that she wore brightly colored flowers in her hair. Of course, she wore a wedding dress. She was pacing back and forth in front of the window.

The door made a loud thud again. I could hear them screaming my name. Xavier was frantically trying to break the door down. Since he hadn't knocked it down already, I assumed that it was impossible.

"They're wasting their time," she mused. "That door won't open unless you have the code." She wore a beautiful blue flower on her wrist like a corsage. The edges of it were purple and the center was turquoise.

That's what I thought. The door was impenetrable.

The name Roseland gave me popped into my head again, _blue moon. _Was that what she meant? Olivia turned to me again and half smiled. It was the smile of a psycho path who was about to kill. I backed away from her, wishing I had my gun back. A stake wouldn't help me much here.

"The wedding will go on," Olivia murmured. I watched her look at herself in the mirror. She turned around and smiled at herself. "I plan for it to be this weekend. It will be the most beautiful wedding known to man...well vampire," she smiled.

I knew Olivia was going to attack me eventually. I just didn't know when. The woman sat on the couch, emotionlessly. I was still surprised the woman didn't get up to help, or at least cheer her on. She was waiting on her hand and foot earlier. I took out the stake anyway. I guess it was better than nothing.

Olivia laughed when I pulled it out. "I'm sorry you won't be making it to the wedding, however; I promise to attend your funeral," she grinned, flashing her fangs. Olivia pulled the veil away from her face, and then flitted in front of me.

I jumped sideways and ran to the window. There was not another door out, so I was at a loss of what to do.

She laughed again. "You're so innocent. Have you ever even been in a fight?"

I glared at her and backed against the window. She turned her head to the door when it thudded again.

"They really don't give up do they?"

"They care about me. Can you say the same thing about your family? Where are they?" I told her icily.

She hissed and flew at me. I jumped out of the way and broke her vanity. "You are no good at hybrid killing then you are at anything else," I snarled. "No wonder no one likes you."

Olivia screamed at me. Her face turned slightly red and she gripped something from the back of her closet. It was a silver coat hanger. I cringed and then jumped into the air. It flew below me and crashed into the wall. When I landed, I looked back to see it sticking in the wall.

"Your own mother hates you. She sent me in here to kill you," I lied to her.

Emotion filled Olivia's face for a few seconds. That had finally hit her somewhere, I smiled at her arrogantly. She shook her head and flitted towards me again. I jumped up and gripped the chandelier before she got me. Olivia jumped up as well and knocked me off. The chandelier crashed to the floor and glass spilled across the room. I jumped away from her and stood my ground in front of the window.

I felt something on my back. I had completely forgotten the crossbow on my belt. When she came at me again, I shot her. Olivia fell on the floor and slowly looked up at me. Her fangs were completely out. She ripped the arrow out of her smoking skin and stumbled towards me. Her face was furious.

I shot her again, but this time she didn't stop. It just made her run faster. I tried to dodge her, but I was gripped by the arm and we went through the window. Glass shattered all around me as we tumbled downward.

Snow blew in my eyes and swam through my hair. Olivia still wouldn't quit. She was still trying to grab and bite me as we fell. I kicked her away from me, only making her more furious. I moved away from her as I kicked her again. I was pacing upward now, which was good because I didn't want to see the ground coming. I stared up at the almost blue moon in awe as I hit the ground.


	19. Escape

_Chapter 19._

_ Escape_

I opened my eyes. All I saw was white and I couldn't breathe. I sat up and pushed whatever was on top of me off. It was snow. Olivia was directly ahead of me, glaring as snow covered her hair and veil.

I reached for my weapon, which was not on my belt. Where was it? The silver tipped arrows glistened against the snow. There the crossbow sat, about a yard away from Olivia.

Blood dripped down the satin, white dress from where I shot her twice. She still was strong enough to attack me, though. I really didn't know how much I could take. If this is going to be my future, I might accept the poison willingly.

I noted the syringe she held tightly in her right hand, which was filled with green liquid. I was positive that was the poison. Her slightly scratched face stretched into a grin, that once again made her skin look like it was about to rip. I needed my weapon, however; one little prick from her and I was dead.

Olivia waved the syringe at me and her smile slowly grew wider. "I don't know why you had to do this." She shook her head. "We could have been friends," she murmured.

I glared at her while I watched her movements carefully. "Go to hell!" I spat.

"So hostile," she smirked then fluttered her eyelashes at me.

I was tired of her games, she needed to die. "You're going to die tonight," I promised.

This didn't faze her either. She was overly confident in herself. Olivia probably also, counted on her doubles to save her. A few of them appeared at the front door.

Maybe I wouldn't be winning this fight after all. I should have known that she wouldn't play fair. This was not going to end well. Olivia moved her hair back out of her eyes and walked towards me slowly.

"If it makes you feel better, this is the best wedding present anyone has ever given me." Olivia beamed.

I looked into her dark eyes and I suddenly felt very cold for the first time in my new life. I saw Penelope in the window next to Olivia's room. Her eyes were wide and she turned to talk to someone.

Hopefully, that meant I was going to have some help soon. However, I didn't set my hopes on it. I decided to just take off straight for the crossbow. She stopped me at every angle I tried. Laughing as she flew across the snow, she knocked me down again and again.

Olivia flew up into a maple tree; playing with me again. I took my chance and lunged for the crossbow. Olivia hissed and came after me. She gripped my leg and pulled me back, but she was too late. I fired it straight into her heart.

Olivia landed on top of me. I quickly scooted away from her and took every flower before the flames started. They were normal flames, no blues or purples. I was very disappointed.

I guess it was just the doubles that changed different colors. I looked behind me at the doubles. They were cowering in the corner, and I started to go after them. Xavier and Penelope beat me to them. Xavier wrapped his arms around me and kissed me roughly.

"Are you alright?" he murmured.

"Yeah, where's Emilie?" I walked away from him, terrified that her time had run out. Penelope was still holding Emilie and Amelia stood behind her.

"We got it out of him, but he got away," she sighed. "It's a mixture of hybrid blood and the hybrid Blue Moon Rose." She pointed to the beautiful blue one in my hand.

Amelia handed me a bowl and I crushed the flower in it. Then I cut my arm. I dripped the blood all over the rose carefully.

"More," Roseland said as she pushed though the others. She gripped my arm and made me fill half the bowl.

I was very weak when she finished.

Xavier was starting to get upset. "No more blood," he glared at her.

I took Emilie into my arms, her eyes fluttered open and she stared at me. I didn't think she could speak. "Flower," I told her with a smile.

She smiled back as I put the bowl to her lips. She coughed and it took her a long time to drink it, but eventually she choked it all down.

"How long does it take?" I walked into the house. The snow was annoying me again. Emilie's eyes closed again, which worried me. "Are you sure it's the cure?"

Roseland nodded. "They always said it was and Victor made Charles admit it."

"What if he lied?" I glared at everyone.

"I would be able to tell," Amelia muttered.

"You didn't tell with Katharine. She said they all went to bed at night …no one did," I argued.

"She didn't know, usually they do," Amelia said.

I guess the only thing I could do was wait and hope for the best.

"It will be fine Victoria," Xavier sat next to me on the couch.

"Where are the others?" I asked Amelia, without taking my eyes off of Emilie.

"They went after Charles," she said while staring at the ground.

Emilie's eyes opened again, and I jerked up to stare at her face. Everyone else gathered around also.

"Emilie?" I whispered as I brushed her hair behind her ears.

She shut her eyes tight. "What?"

I chuckled. "Are you okay?"

Emilie opened her eyes again, blinking a couple times. "Where am I?"

I smiled. Relief swam through me and the feeling was exquisite.

"Oh my god…what am I wearing!" Emilie looked down at her ragged dress in horror.

"I have clothes you can wear," Penelope chirped in from the back.

"Hurry," Emilie said quickly, eyes wide.

We all tried to disguise our laughter, so she wouldn't be upset. Emilie sat up in my arms and scooted out of my lap.

"Where am I?" she asked again.

"The Reneflauses' castle," Xavier smiled.

"Oh great," she muttered and lightly touched her gnarled hair. "I need a shower." She shook her head, grossest out by her hair.

Victor and Anna burst through the front door. "Oh Emilie," Anna cried and wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm fine mom," Emilie rolled her eyes.

"I'll be right back," I called to them and smiled quickly at Emilie before I ran down the hall.

Olivia's room was still occupied, I remembered and I seriously doubted we could trust whoever that woman was. There was a code key next to the door so I ripped it off. The wall and the doors flew open, why didn't they think of that? The woman wasn't on the couch. It took me a moment to notice her standing on the edge of the shattered window.

"What are you doing?" I slowly stepped closer to her.

The woman stood there with her arms spread out. The wind blew her dress and blonde hair behind her. I asked her the same question again and she turned her head slightly. She glared, and then turned back to the window. Was she going to jump? I stepped towards her a little closer, but very slowly in case she jumped out of fear.

"Let's talk about it," I urged and waved my hand at her when she glanced at me again.

She turned around to face me. Her face was stiff and emotionless.

"What's wrong?" I watched in horror as the woman transformed. Her skin became whiter, hair was lighter, and the face turned absurdly beautiful. I backed up and fell over the couch. It flipped over backwards with me.

"We'll meet again," Olivia promised. Her dark eyes locked in mine. She raised her arms again and jumped backwards out the window. To my surprise, she flew away.

They could fly. Can we fly? I don't remember anyone ever telling me this. I would be having a very intense conversation with Emilie later. My mind wandered, what happened to the real blonde woman? Was she the real Olivia the whole time?

No, no that couldn't be. How did she survive that? It was impossible. The one I killed was not a double. There were no different colored flames. I shook my head. I had no plans on getting up off the fallen couch.

I wasn't sure I could move at all. After a few minutes, (I think) I was keeping track of the time. A pair of hands touched my shoulder.

"What are you doing sweetheart?"

I turned to see Xavier's concerned face inches from mine. "Nothing," I replied without moving my lips.

"Well something's wrong," he noted.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." I wasn't sure if I could ever talk about it. Did it really even happen?

"Let me know when you do," Xavier kissed my hair.

"Okay," I mumbled, while I stared at the shattered glass.

When I heard him leave, I turned back onto my side. How did she pull it off? I was startled as I suddenly went up into the air.

"What the…," I flung my arms up to try and get free. Xavier laughed when I saw his face.

"You didn't think I would leave you here all alone did you?" he gave me a false shocked face.

I rolled my eyes at him, but I doubt he saw it. "Yes, I did actually."

Xavier scoffed. "You did, huh." I saw his lips pressed together to keep from laughing.

I chuckled when he leaned down to kiss me. "Emilie is fine right?" I was still so paranoid that she would get sick again, or something worse.

"She's absolutely fine," he told me with a smile. "A little weak, though."

"That's probably normal," I decided after a second of thought.

Xavier agreed as he walked us back to the living room. "We'll have to take her out tonight…to feed."

I'm sure I was in desperate need to feed also. Who knows how much blood I have lost altogether? There was a scream up ahead. Xavier set me down and we ran the rest of the way. Anna was crouched in the corner with a look of disgust on her face. The hideous green monsters had returned. Three of them stood before us and we still had no idea how to kill them.

"Go with Anna," Victor commanded Emilie.

She pouted, but otherwise did what she was told.

"They got her," Xavier commented to me.

I followed his gaze to the body on the floor. Penelope lay on the ground with blood pouring from her head. Roseland was hiding behind the couch, cowering in fear. So was Anna, with Emilie by her side.

"Is she dead?" Roseland called to us, her voice breaking twice.

"I think so," Xavier yelled as he pulled me away from the oncoming fist, which one of the monsters threw.

"Thank you," I sighed and backed away till I touched the wall.

I watched as he crouched down, and then sprang at the one on the right. I was surprised when he flipped over it instead. I gripped my crossbow tightly and shot the two that were coming after me in the face. They staggered back weakly, but I didn't want to give them any chance to attack or kill a second time. So I continued to shoot arrow after arrow into them.

Xavier was continuously stabbing one in different spots, trying to find its weakness. Amelia, (who came out of nowhere) was distracting it by running in between the monsters legs and then up the back of it. She was in wolf form. Emilie was watching, though she looked very upset. She wanted to be in on the action.

Roseland threw a stake through the air from behind the couch. It landed in the middle of the second monster's heart. She sank back down in her hiding spot when the monster fell to the ground. It smashed the coffee table into bits. The one I had shot had begun to recover and climbed to its giant feet once more.

Amelia growled and all I saw was a flash of red. The monster was stuck in the wall. Derrick came through the front door and tackled the remaining monster, which had just picked Xavier up by the collar. Xavier was thrown through another wall on the opposite side of the room. He emerged from it as a black wolf.

His jaw locked down on the side of the monsters neck. It roared and proceeded to spin itself around in circles. They really weren't too bright. I took the stake out of the dead one and flitted up the monster's stomach. Then I plunged it through its chest.

"Woo hoo!" Emilie threw her hands up in the air.

For a second, I thought she lost her mind again.

"Sorry I wanted to do _something,_" she smiled apologetically for scaring us.

I laughed a little, shaking my head. Amelia had already killed the last monster and was back to her normal self. She had a little help from Derrick, of course. It took me awhile to realize that Victor had disappeared.

"Where's Victor?" Anna asked, mimicking my thoughts.

Everyone looked around confused, and then they shrugged.

"I haven't seen dad since you got back," Amelia whispered, worry evident in her eyes. "Find him!" She uttered, now starting to panic. She ran around the room searching.

Instead of helping them search, I stared at Penelope's corpse. How did she die with nothing stuck in her heart? Roseland came out from the back of the couch.

"I would have gladly fought with you, but I'm afraid my strength still has not returned."

I touched her arm. "It's okay."

Emilie fell against the chair.

"What are you going? You're still weak!" I scolded her.

She glared at me. A familiar dark glint sparkled in her eyes. "Since when do you order me? I distinctively remember myself being in charge." She fanned her arm towards her body arrogantly.

I chuckled and helped her to the couch. "I am …for now till you're well again," I promised her.

Emilie picked up the clothes Penelope had given her before she died. "These aren't half bad, very expensive attire," she smiled, pleased.

"I really missed you," I said to her when she got the clothes on.

"I missed you too. I missed everyone…even Amelia," she smirked.

"She's not so bad," I murmured.

Emilie gave me a look of disbelief. "You did not just say that."

"I did," I chuckled.

She still stared at me like I was insane, but then her face turned sour. "Uh oh," Emilie muttered. Then she pointed somewhere behind me.

I turned to see six abnormally huge wolves. I scowled as they crept along the wall, getting closer to me. Everyone else had gone off to search for Victor. It was just Emilie, Roseland and I. Roseland stood her ground this time. Emilie tried, but I pushed her back onto the couch.

"No." I glared at her.

She growled at me, a sharp irritated sound. However, I had no time to pay attention to her annoyances.

Roseland motioned with her fingers that she would take out the right three, hopefully. I would kill the ones on the left. She still looked weak, so I might have to do more than my fair share. I stood in front of Emilie to block her from getting attacked.

Charles must have been experimenting on them. I had never seen wolves this big before. Behind me, Emilie was trying to get to her feet again. She was really starting to irritate me. Xavier would be upset if I let her fight in her weak condition. Roseland hissed and charged straight for the wolves.

Once she threw one into a fireplace, they all sprang at us. I flinched back as I prepared to decapitate one, and then made sure Emilie didn't get involved. The headless wolf slumped lifelessly to the floor, blood leaked across the carpet. Then a second wolf dug its teeth into my shoulder. This situation was oddly familiar, I scowled. It would hurt, but I needed to save time.

"Victoria!" Roseland yelled.

I pulled away really quick and screamed in pain when my arm came off…again. I tried to ignore it as I leapt over the third wolf. Roseland had stopped staring at me and stuck a stake through the wolf's neck. With my one arm I pulled the wolf across the floor by the tail and hurled it through the large windows. Blood leaked down from the glass. I counted the drips as I tried not to look at my nub. It grew back after ten drops hit the wood floor.

"Are you alright?" Emilie hissed when I became unresponsive.

I nodded slowly and turned to Roseland. She had just crushed the last wolf's chest while turning to beam at me in the same second. I flexed my new hand. It still amazed me at how perfect it was.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Roseland asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Yes," I sighed and sat down next to Emilie. She wrapped her arm around me as soon as I got close enough.

"We'll handle the problems if there ever is another one." Emilie whispered.

I glared at her. There always was a problem. I was one big problem magnet. She scowled, guessing what I was thinking.

"We've had complications before we ever met you," Emilie informed me.

I nodded, however; she knew I didn't believe her.

"It's not your fault." She shook my shoulder, trying to get me out of my rigid pose.

I was about to tell her she was wrong, but a loud crash made us all turn our heads.

"What was that?" Roseland narrowed her eyes at the hallway.

Hybrids filled the room, yelling and flitting all over the place.

"What the heck?" Emilie uttered in surprise.

Most of them ran out the front door, after finishing off the rest of the Reneflauses' blood supply. Good thing the guards outside had already been taken care of. Roseland watched them all pass us by with a smile on her face.

"We've been trapped here for so long." She beamed at them.

I frowned. "I'm sorry. I should have set them free when I was down there."

"We're free now." She set her hand on my shoulder.

I must have been an open book because everyone always knew exactly what was on my mind. Xavier came around the corner after the last hybrid ran out.

"Victor released them. That's where he went." His eyes immediately darted to the dead men lying at my feet. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left. What happened?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Werewolves," I half smiled.

Xavier looked down at the ground, hiding his expression from me. I remembered my old arm was still lying on the floor.

"What time is it?" Emilie asked Xavier, distracting him for me.

"It's early. It's probably seven or eight. The suns out," he answered her.

Since everyone was already in a bad mood, I figured I should go ahead and tell them about Olivia. That is if it did actually happen. I was still kind of in denial about it, although; it did seem very realistic.

"What's wrong Victoria?" Emilie was scrutinizing my face and it wasn't long before she knew my emotion. Emilie stood up slowly, she wasn't quit as weak as earlier. "Come with me. We need to talk."

I gave her a quick nod and followed her. I avoided Xavier's narrowed eyes the whole way.

"What happened?" she demanded when the elevator doors closed.

I sighed and leaned against the side of the wall. "Olivia's not dead."

Emilie stared at me in confusion. "Then how did you get the flowers from her?"

"I thought she was dead, but I was wrong. It wasn't her nor was it a double," I scowled at my own stupidity.

"It's like she made herself look like another person, and made the person look like her," I said, confusing myself.

Emilie was staring blankly at the metal doors. I seemed to have confused her as well.

"Perhaps I am going mad," I suggested hopefully.

She shook her head. "No that's impossible for our kind. Well unless you know," she made a face.

I frowned and looked at the pale carpet.

"How bad was it?" she asked hesitantly.

It took me awhile to be able to answer Emilie. I didn't want to upset her. "It was really bad."

Her face showed no sign of emotion, so I continued.

"You were not you anymore. There was no trace of you left." I shook my head sadly. "I had never been so scared in my life. I thought for sure we'd lost you."

Emilie blinked, finally moving from her awkward position. "I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around me.

I hugged her back, while tears fell down my face. It felt good to finally give in to my emotions. When the elevator opened, we jumped and stared straight ahead.

"Oh my god," Emilie spat out.

I was tempted to push a button to get out of this hell house, but I was too afraid to move.

"What do we do?" Emilie hissed at me.

I shook my head at her, unable to make a sound. I had no idea how they hadn't noticed us yet. I had no idea what to do either. Emilie clutched herself tighter against me and I pushed F1 right before one of them turned their head. As the doors began to close, four pairs of yellow eyes were locked in ours. Their heads turned side to side and a horrendous noise exploded out of them.

Emilie and I screamed and we both clutched our ears. The noises were more painful than anything I've ever experienced. Just as the doors were almost shut, the things made a bunch of dents in it. We jumped to the back and pressed ourselves against the wall. Emilie was practically hyperventilating. She needed blood soon or we wouldn't last long.

"What the…what were they?" she sputtered.

I shook my head. "Maybe another failed experiment. How did they get on the top floor?" I asked myself.

Emilie slid to the floor then folded her arms across her chest. "I just want to go home."

I didn't have the heart to remind her that we no longer had a home. To be honest, I wanted to go home too. Emilie sat there and sobbed for a few seconds, while I leaned against the wall of the elevator. How many experiments had failed before they created Victor? I shook my head, trying to get the yellow-eyed demons out of it.

They were more grotesque than the green monsters. I wasn't sure how to comfort Emilie, nor was I sure that I didn't need any comforting myself. She leaned on my leg and sniffed a couple times. I was grateful that she no longer needed comforting.

The top of the elevator dented inward as a loud crash rang through the shaft. We flew to the left side of it. The elevator buckled beneath us and the metal groaned. Then the horrible familiar howl filled our ears. We both screamed again and fell to the floor.

There had to be a way to stop them. Once again, a loud bang echoed through the shaft and the dent grew into a hole. Emilie wrapped her arms around me as we cowered in the corner. I knew I should be brave and fight. However, did they die like every thing else?

I didn't want to be the one to find out that they couldn't be killed. Emilie screamed again as one of them started to come through the hole. Its eyes blinked diagonally. I stared at it in horror. The creature's slimy black arm reached for us, brown liquid dripped from its scaly skin.

"Ugh," Emilie made a disgusted face and turned to claw a hole behind us in the wall.

In a matter of seconds, we leapt to the other side of the elevator. Another one was trying to come in through the hole she'd just created. More holes appeared in random spots all over the elevator. Great, we had given them the idea.

"Get me out of here!" Emilie yelled while clawing at the metal doors.

The doors opened and we flitted through the halls to the living room. We didn't stop to talk to anyone. Just when we reached the threshold, I was gripped tightly by the arm. I turned, prepared to rip out their throat. Xavier caught me by the jaw and I was immediately ashamed of myself.

"Don't leave without me. The castle is rigged to explode," Xavier told me.

"Then go ahead and do it. Let's get out of here." I took his hand while I flitted out the door once again.

"What's wrong?" he called from behind me.

"I don't know," I said honestly. Emilie was easier to catch up with, since she was in a weaker condition. "Where are we going?" I asked when I was beside her.

"Away. Far away," she stated. Her eyes were still wide and frightened.

"The SUV is hidden in the trees down there." I pointed down the road when we reached the last hill.

"Victoria, tell me what's going on. We can't leave the others," Xavier growled.

A loud explosion came from behind us. We stopped and turned towards the sound. Flames consumed the entire castle as if it was a vampire itself. The flames went sky high and all I could do was watch.

Rocks and glass fell down around us in small pieces. The ash floated down with the snow. Five figures floated down the mountain in such speed, that it almost seemed like a dream.

"Okay, they're coming," Emilie took my hand and we continued to the vehicle.

"What are we running from?" Xavier asked with confusion in his voice.

I shrugged and ran my fingers through his. "Freaky, scaly, and yellow-eyed things," I muttered, making a disgusted face.

"What…," Xavier muttered in a daze, though I'm sure he heard me.

"They're scary as hell," Emilie chipped in.

"Did you even try to take them out?" he looked down at me skeptically.

"No," I said slowly, unwillingly.

"Mm hmm," he nodded to himself, obviously already aware of what I was going to say.

"I know I should have. I just…couldn't." I looked away from him and stared at the snow covered ground.

The street itself wasn't covered in snow completely. However, there were twelve feet high drifts placed every few feet or so. Wouldn't you know it; the SUV was stuck in the middle of the biggest one. I groaned at the same time as Emilie. I knew my bad luck wasn't finished yet.

Emilie dove into the snow pile, only not as gracefully as normal. She was still weak. Xavier flitted to the corner and began to dig out the vehicle. I jumped to the top and dug as well. When the SUV was halfway out of the snow, the other's showed up and helped. We got it out in seconds.

"Hurry," Anna yelled. "Something's coming."

My whole body got colder than ice and I turned to Emilie. Her face mimicked my horror.

"Go," she hollered at everyone as she jumped into the back seat.

Derrick got in behind the wheel with Amelia next to him. Then Victor took the passenger side, and everyone else filed in the back. I was pulled tightly against Xavier's side in the middle seat. Emilie sat to the left of me with her hands covering her eyes. Anna and Roseland were in the back behind us.

Another explosion came from the castle as we pulled out of the snow drift. It caused Emilie and me to jump in fear. Three pairs of wings appeared in the shadows of the clouds. I stared at them strangely at first, till I realized what they were and my expression turned to panic. Attached to the flaming wings were the grotesque, yellow-eyed creatures. I shook Xavier's shoulder violently until he got annoyed and glared at me.

"Look," I pointed to the nasty things in the sky.

"They're coming!" Anna cried then moved herself to the back. She then forced Roseland to get closer to us.

Amelia had two silver guns gripped tightly in her hands. Where she found the other one, I had no clue. I was suddenly on the floor.

"Stay there," Xavier said sharply with his hand on my back.

I nodded, though I really didn't want to. "What are you going to do?"

"Shhh," he told me.

Victor made Emilie get down on the floor next to me. She was more than willing. "You're in charge of taking care of her." Victor pointed at me with his thick finger.

"Okay," I nodded quickly.

There was no arguing with that man. Derrick increased the speed and we started to swerve out of control. We flew to one end of the car. When I tried to get up, we were forced to the other side. I stared at the yellow eyes descending down at us in terror.


	20. Blood Bath

_Chapter 20. _

_Blood Bath_

Amelia was able to reach the window and roll it down. I had begun to chew my nails to bits. The SUV fishtailed left and right, but we no longer flew anywhere. I stayed on the ground, since Xavier wouldn't let me get up anyway.

Emilie's face was directly in front of mine. "Exciting isn't it?"

I stared at her dubiously. "I wouldn't call it exciting."

She chuckled humorously. "Welcome to the life of a hybrid."

The things made their high pitched howl and everyone yelled. The vehicle swerved off the road, throwing Amelia away from the window. After hitting our fifth haystack, the SUV plummeted down a cliff. Derrick still had his hands over his ears. I went from the floor to the ceiling at least ten times. Everyone else did the same and crashed into each other a few times. We landed in a pile on the ceiling of the vehicle.

Emilie moaned. "We have to get out of here."

Glass cracked around me every time I moved. Something suddenly landed hard on top of the SUV. Everyone got very still and quiet, I could hear the sniffing sounds above us. A hand touched mine.

I could only assume it was Xavier's. Another thump came from the right of us. They had to have know we were still in here, why else would they be hanging around? A few seconds later I heard a gun cock.

"No Amelia." I hissed.

She ignored me, if it was her and the gun fired. It hit one of them dead on. They squawked like birds and fell into the snow. I stared at them out the shattered window. They were going nuts. Derrick pulled himself out of the tangled bodies and followed Amelia. More shoes were fired, at least twelve times if not more.

"Let's move," Victor said.

I pulled my legs away and I was finally able to get free. Emilie sat next to me. I don't think she had ever been trapped. Amelia kept firing both guns. The three creatures ran around, like chickens with their heads cut off. I would have laughed if I wasn't so afraid of them. After the bullets ran out, they howled again.

I had suspected this and already had my ears covered. Everyone else was wincing in pain. If you didn't hear it right away, you wouldn't be hurt. It's a shame none of us had any ear plugs.

Amelia and Derrick were on the ground with their hands over their ears. The creatures moved closer to them. I instinctively threw a holy water grenade in between them. The creatures flew up when it went off. One of them got away from the blast, but the other two weren't so lucky.

"Thank you," Amelia breathed.

Everyone started to relax now that the ear shattering screams had ceased. So I slid out the window before Xavier could stop me.

"Victoria!" Xavier's voice boomed from the SUV, making the creatures' yellow eyes focus on me.

"Oh great…," I took off in the opposite direction, slipping in the snow a few times. The uninjured creature was right on my tail.

Derrick appeared next to me. "You're not alone." He nodded when I looked at him with wide eyes.

The two I hit with holy water were twisting and screeching. They clawed at the snow till their nails bled. I had bigger problems than finishing them off at the moment.

"What do I do?" I asked him desperately.

"Duck!" Derrick pinned me to the ground.

Snow blew in my eyes and mouth. I coughed it out quickly, to be ready for another attack. I heard Xavier's frantic voice from only a few feet away, why was he only around when I wasn't hurt? The creature had missed me, but it lopped around for a second chance.

"Come with me," Xavier growled and took me by the arm.

Derrick had his favorite crossbow out and shot repeatedly at the thing. It dodged each of the arrows. Xavier and I had to dodge them too when they came back down. They landed straight in the snow, and then released some kind of mist.

Amelia pulled me away from it. "That burns anything supernatural."

I backed away from it further than anyone else and almost ran into Emilie.

"Those two can't fly anymore," she stated.

I looked at them. They were still running around all crazed. I was surprisingly no longer afraid of them.

"The grenade burned off their wings," I replied thoughtfully. "We should have tried those a long time ago."

"Yeah," Emilie chuckled then sighed.

Roseland was leaning against the vehicle, (what remained of it) with a scowl across her face. Anna was talked to Victor…well it was more like an argument about where they were going to stay tonight. I made slow movements so Xavier wouldn't freak out. I had pushed him far enough these few days. I rested my head on the frame of the SUV while staring at Roseland's sour face.

"What's the matter?" I stared at her stiff expression until she blinked.

"Does it always have to be so hard for us?" she shook her head slowly then laid it back on the vehicle. "I have lost everything and now that I am free…who is there to share it with?"

I took her hand in mine. "Us," I smiled.

Roseland smirked then tilted her head so the rising sun shined down on her face. It glared off her red hair, blinding me. So I closed my eyes. It felt good after the long night I went through. I didn't have much relaxation time.

The flying creature returned and picked up Amelia by her weapon. I should have known that she would rather die than give up her favorite guns. The sun glinted off the creatures scales and temporarily blinded us. Derrick was the first to react, being so since he was her husband, and then we all got out of his way. Xavier was by my side in an instant, probably making sure I didn't try to be a hero again. However, he could have been keeping me from getting taken as well.

I remembered my job. Then I moved myself and Xavier, since he was holding me. Nothing will happen to Emilie on my watch. Victor gripped one of the creatures by the neck; they were still squawking and spinning in circles. Then he stuck a wooden stake into its heart.

The creature screamed one last time and hung its head limply. Anna repeated what Victor did to the other one. I guess they do die like everything else. Instead of flames consuming their _grotesque _bodies, they exploded into dust.

"That was different," Emilie commented as Anna and Victor took off after Amelia.

We were told to stay put and search for any signs of danger. Emilie took this time to introduce herself. "I'm Emilie Williams." She held her hand out to Roseland. "I never properly introduced myself," she smiled.

"Roseland Theodore." She took her hand briefly then crossed her arms against her chest.

"This is my husband Xavier," I told her since he would most likely be pleasant now.

Roseland nodded at him with her eyes shut. She really missed the sun.

"How long have you been down there?" I asked curiously.

She kept her eyes closed, but answered. "Just shy of one hundred years, I think." Roseland paused for a moment. "However, there is no way to be sure. I wasn't able to keep track of time."

I couldn't wrap my head around it. To be trapped in a cell for one hundred years, or the fact that I will live to be over one hundred. I heard Amelia yell from quite a great distance, it was more of a frustrated sound than one of fear.

"Perhaps we should help?" I looked up at Xavier, hoping for a yes.

"What do you mean _we_?" Xavier narrowed his eyes.

My face sunk as I scowled at him. "Why can't I help? You'd be right there with me."

He shook his head, and then his eyes lit up. "We were told to stay here, but I know a way where you can help that shouldn't be too dangerous."

I stared up at his smirk skeptically. "…And what would that be?"

"These two…," Xavier gestured to Roseland and pulled Emilie against his side. "…Are in desperate need of nourishment."

I was hoping for something more heroic, but Emilie did look terrible. She would be more help with some blood in her. Xavier watched my face carefully while waiting for my response. Or maybe he thought I would take off again. A few arrows whizzed past the left side of my head and Xavier growled. Then he made the decision for me.

"Victoria, take them now!"

I got up out of my defensive crouch to see the remaining creature flying above me, Amelia still grasped in its claw. "Okay," I gasped hoarsely when Xavier started to push me in the opposite direction of the fight. Emilie and Roseland stalked after me immediately. I hoped Emilie knew where to go. I have no idea where to find the right kind of dinner, (so to speak). I also had a feeling Roseland didn't eat quite the same way we did.

Rosewood was a lot bigger than I remembered. Of course, things tend to be when you can't run at a normal pace. The three of us were flitting down the slowly melting dirt road. The sun was high in the clear sky. I had never fed in the daylight before and something deep inside turned my stomach.

This was not a good idea.

Roseland seemed to be enjoying herself, despite how weak she was. "I have not seen a tree in ages!" She exclaimed.

I half smiled while I watched her stare at the plants, houses, and sky. "Em," I glanced at her.

She was breathing hard. "What?" Emilie replied.

"Where should we go to feed?"

"Anywhere Victoria," she sighed, looking about ready to pass out.

"We should stay out of public eye," Roseland noted. "You look like you've murdered someone."

I looked down at my blood soaked clothes, which I had completely forgotten about. "Yes," I agreed at once. "Unfortunately, we are going to be murdering someone…a few of them actually."

Roseland chuckled. "Probably no more than five, what's so bad about that?"

I looked down at the ground. "Nothing I suppose," I lied. She wasn't like us at all.

Now I will have to be very quick at finding bad people to kill, before she attacks someone innocent. Emilie was staring at me cautiously. As usual, her thoughts weren't as far off as my own. We had finally reached the edge of town and Emilie pointed for me to go right. Roseland was already sniffing the air. Her mouth was starting to water.

Emilie sensed the urgency, and then took Roseland by the hand. It was noon and the streets were polluted with people. A festival or block party of some kind had filled almost the entire city. That figures when there's starving hybrids in town. Emilie was unable to keep Roseland away, she snapped at her.

"It's the annual rose festival, to celebrate the birth of Rosewood," Emilie sighed.

Roses and balloons flew over our heads and a lot of people were wearing them. Some were throwing petals at each other. I had never seen so much white in my life, not even the white halls at the castle could compare. Everyone wore white clothing and most of the décor was white. The red roses stood out as the only dominant color.

"There she is!" Emilie pointed to the parade of white floats.

Roseland was on the side of it, staring at something in the shadows. I couldn't make out what she was looking at, but I was surprised that she wasn't trying to eat anyone.

"Let's get down there." I took Emilie's hand and pushed through the suddenly delicious smelling crowd. Emilie's and my mouth had begun to water. I'm sure our fangs were completely extended as well.

"This isn't good." I shook my head as I felt the fierce hunger thrash through my body. The people had started to play Celtic music and everyone started to dance. Surely they wouldn't notice if a few people went missing.

Someone threw red liquid out on the crowd. They yelled and spun around in it. I fit in perfectly now, I could slip in and out without a soul noticing. I put my arms down since there was no need to cover up the blood.

Emilie tugged at my shoulder. "We need to get out of here," she hissed at me with panic filled eyes.

Of course, once again I ignored the right thing to do and did my own thing. Was it because I'm new? I side stepped between the dancing couples, trying to find the one that smelt the best. Then glitter rained down as I found the perfect one.

Emilie started to pull on me again, but she was too weak to make any real progress. Roseland had disappeared again. I bet she had already taken down her five people and I was just standing here wasting time.

In between the plain white floats and the annoying crowds, I saw a group of green eyed people. They were dressed in rags and running through the alleyway. Emilie didn't appear to have noticed. She was staring intently at sweat dripping down a man's neck. She was gone. That man, (good or bad) would only have a few minutes left.

I would soon be lost as well. The only thing keeping me from feeding was my curiosity. Why had the hybrids come here? Or was it just my delusional brain playing tricks on me again? I saw Roseland standing in the alley, her eyes narrowed at me then she disappeared. That didn't look good at all, why was she mad at me?

"Emilie did I do something wrong? Emilie?" I turned to see her dancing with the man she was staring at. Only he wasn't exactly contributing. Well she had fed already, so I might as well try a few bites. What's the worst that could happen?

I knew better than to think that way, but everything bad had already happened. So what else could be left? I'm sure there are more problems to come and that wouldn't surprise me one bit. As if speaking it aloud, the trouble showed up. Katharine stood in front of me with a scowl so fierce that her porcelain face was almost wrinkled. The Reneflauses must have made her able to be in the sun. I backed away, my eyes never left hers.

"You killed them." Katharine stared at me blankly. The emotion had drained from her face. "You killed them," she repeated.

"Yes I thought we've already been through that," I muttered sarcastically, also very stupidly I had set her off. Katharine screamed and took me by the throat. She tackled me in the same second. No one really noticed us too much and the ones that did just thought we were fooling around.

Emilie was already dancing with another guy. I yelled for her to help, but it was pointless. I did the only thing I knew to do and would probably freak the crowd out something awful. I let my fury run wild through me, till I was able to lock my jaw tightly on the side of Katharine's neck. She screamed and pulled herself away from me, a chunk of her neck stayed with me.

People turned and were wide eyed in seconds. However, I had enough time to disappear into the alley. Luckily, they only saw Katharine and her injury because I had bigger problems to worry about. Roseland and all the hybrids, (I mean every single one from the castle) were hiding in the alleys.

"There are enough people here for us all," Roseland said simply.

"Did you call them?" I said in horror.

"No." She looked at me in shock. "I'm not that cruel of a person."

They all stared at me with starved eyes.

"We're going to do this." She shoved me aside.

I remembered that I was naked and covered up. Most of the guys smirked at me. I pressed myself against the wall for them to pass. Emilie appeared next to me and I jumped.

"Sorry," she chuckled nervously, "…and sorry I lost it back there."

I shook my head, coming out of a daze. "It's okay. You were really weak and I almost lost it myself."

She absorbed my taken back expression and lack of clothes. "What's going on?"

"Lots," I sighed and widened my eyes. "There's going to be a lot of panicking soon."

"What do you mea…?" Emilie was interrupted by a wave of screams and loud crashes.

The music came to an abrupt halt and Emilie made me jump to the roof. We got up there right before people ran into the alley.

"Stay down!" She snapped at me. Emilie was back in charge.

I was surprised by how much I had missed her. We watched the people scatter in various directions and quite a few of them didn't get very far. It was hard to tell which were roses and what was blood. I had to look away to the sky for awhile.

"We are going to have to move to another town. I can't blame witches on all this," Emilie shook her head.

For the next thirty minutes people screamed and cried. Then after awhile, I smelt gasoline. The main area in front of us burst into flames when I sat up. We both jumped back from the blaze. Sirens were approaching quickly in the distance.

"Come on we have to get out of here." Emilie pulled me away again. I was drug off the rooftops to a very familiar place.

"Where did the house go?" Emilie exclaimed, while we were staring at the pile of smoking rubble.

"I guess Amelia burnt it down like she planned." I shrugged when she looked at me with a horror-struck face. "We got most of the stuff out before hand," I told her, hoping to make her feel better. It worked to an extent, but she still missed her home.

"I was born here, I grew up here." Emilie whispered through unmoving lips.

I set my hand on her shoulder when she sunk to her knees. "It's just a home, Em, and remember home is where you make it," I smiled at her.

Emilie sniffed. "Yeah I know." She got up off the ground. "I was going to get you some clothes, though."

I looked down at my naked body. "Oh yeah," I frowned. "If we find the Ferrari we can get clothes," I suggested and I was sure it was still sitting in front of the hotel.

She beamed at me. "So that's what we'll do. I think you're getting too use to being in charge. Knock it off!" She snapped then smiled at my surprised expression.

We made it to the hotel in minutes. The car was sitting in the same spot they left it. Emilie had clothes for me in seconds. How she found anything in that mess I'll never know.

"Here," she smiled at me while handing me a dress, of course they were her favorite.

It was a bright red sun dress. Luckily, the weather was warm enough for me to wear it without people staring.

"Thank you, we should get you cleaned up a little." I picked up a strand of her blood matted hair.

Emilie cringed. "Yes, maybe they still have the room." She looked at me questionably.

"I think they did pay for more than one night." I put my finger to my lips in thought. "It wouldn't hurt to try." I pulled on the dress and ran up the steps. A man opened the door for us, but stared at my blood covered face in shock.

"Hurry, we need to get the blood off us," Emilie hissed.

We ran up the stairs in case there were people in the elevator. The cardkey happened to be sitting in the Ferrari. Emilie didn't tell me about it until, after I was disappointed that we didn't have it.

"If it wasn't in there, I would have just broken down the door," she told me calmly. "I call dibs on the shower!" Emilie was in the bathroom with the door shut in the blink if an eye.

I sat on the edge of the bed and glanced around the room. Most of the bowls and covers were scattered around from the last night we were here. After a few more seconds, I heard the water come on. Then I threw myself back on the bed and my eyes suddenly got really heavy.

My eyes fluttered open. I sat up in bed, blinking a couple times to adjust to the dark room. Someone was in bed with me. I relaxed when I realized it was Emilie and if she was here that meant the shower was free.

I flitted into it. It felt like I hadn't showered in years. The hot water cascaded over my body, relaxing my muscles. I almost fell asleep again. I had to of been in there for an hour because Emilie was knocking at the door.

"I'll be right there." I called to her while turning off the water and drying myself at the same time. "What is it?" I popped my head out of the bathroom.

"I'm sorry I meant to wake you up, but I passed out next to you instead," she laughed a little.

"It's okay, but we should really go find the other's and tell them what happened."

Emilie nodded. She still wore the dark purple dress Penelope had given her. I felt a surge of sadness pass through me when I thought of her. Penelope was the nicest vampire I had ever met. She didn't deserve to die like that.

"Should we go back to them now?" I whispered while staring at the moon outside the window.

Emilie turned her head to the side. "That would be the responsible thing to do, which is something we always do," she smirked.

I smiled. "So that's a no?" I chuckled as I came out of the bathroom.

"We're going to stop them from harming anyone else here," she clarified.

"How do we do that?" I raised my eyebrows in shock.

"I don't know." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

I watched her face carefully, wondering what she was thinking. "Where do you want to go?"

"Back to the scene of the crime," she whispered then gazed out the window, "we should have gone when it was light out."

I nodded slowly. "Let's go before it gets worse."

I was led out of the room. It was a nice break from being dragged by force all the time. Outside was complete chaos, apparently the hybrids didn't stop after the festival. Rosewood was beginning to look like one of those torn apart cities that you saw on zombie apocalypse movies. Cars were lying on the streets, most of them were in flames, and the electricity seemed to be out.

"I almost wish we wouldn't have let them out of those cells." Emilie shook her head in disgust.

Sirens rang through the city, though not all of the police vehicles were occupied. I had no idea where all the rest of the people had disappeared to. The hybrids couldn't have eaten all of them could they? I mean I have only eaten two at the most, even when I was very weak.

"This is awful," I said slowly while walking down the blood stained street. "How could I have fallen asleep?" I yelled at myself in rage.

"Hey!" Emilie hugged me. "It's my fault too."

Loud screams were heard a few streets away from us, and we ran in that direction before the culprit could get away. Two male hybrids were attacking a couple. It was too late to save the humans, but we could still find the hybrid's leader. Emilie had one of them pinned to a wall when I looked back at her, the other one was still feeding. The man's jaw opened wide to expose his razor sharp wolf teeth. Then he snapped at her countless times.

She did the same thing back to him. I was not aware that we were able to do that and I was getting tired of no one telling me about these things. Emilie bit down on the man's neck, making him cry out. That caused the second man to notice the anguish.

I tackled him, right before he got to Emilie. He immediately turned into a wolf and I had to turn too so it would be fair. I wouldn't win the fight in vampire form, at least not without help.

"Hold on Victoria. I'll help," Emilie called, always knowing my thoughts.

I barely registered that she spoke. The two of us had rolled into a building, which made it very difficult to hear with bricks falling down around you. I was bit on the hip and shoulder. I yelped in response, and then clawed his face. The grey wolf staggered back a few paces. Then he lunged at me, teeth bared.

A light brown wolf tackled him, making him fly back through the bricks. I limped towards Emilie. She tilted her large head at me while she stared at my wounds. The grey wolf ran off down the street. I'm guessing that he didn't like uneven numbers.

I turned back into a vampire and clutched my thigh. I had to with my left arm since my right shoulder was injured as well. Emilie had already turned and had our clothes gathered in her arms. Then she helped me put my dress back on.

"It will heal after a few minutes, but you're weak. You need to feed." She set my leg down after she examined it.

A woman was walking across the street from us very slowly, and limping a little. Her arm was holding her stomach to keep the blood in. Wind blew her dark hair in our direction and made her stumble towards us. The scent filled my nose, and then I was on the woman with my fangs lodged into her neck. It was very quick and she didn't feel a thing. That didn't stop me from feeling horrible, though.

"She would have died anyway, Victoria. Don't feel bad." Emilie pulled me off the woman's body. "Come on. We need to follow that wolf." Emilie pulled me down the destroyed street faster than she ever had before.

Once we got farther into Rosewood, the death count became more pronounced. Ambulances were scattered in random spots, with their lights still flashing. Dead paramedics were inside and around them. Emilie came to a stop in front of a pile of death.

I had to look away while she calibrated which direction the wolf had gone. I sighed. Xavier should have known that he would be sending me into an even worse situation. I wonder what he's doing now.

"We're in the right place. He stopped here, but they must have a certain area they meet at or something," Emilie frowned.

We were in the place where the killing first started. All the floats and balloons still stood in the same spots, only they were all burned to pieces.

"Where would you hide?" I asked, attempting to help.

Emilie pursed her lips. "Either in the buildings or under a burnt float, I think. Maybe even the sewer, if I were forced." She made a face.

"Well maybe that's where they're hiding," I suggested with a shrug.

"It looks like Katharine found her way back here," Emilie muttered.

I followed her gaze to Katharine's lifeless body lying in front of a float. It was hard to see her body with all the other bodies surrounding hers. Like Penelope, there was nothing in her heart. However, she was dead.

"She's the one who grabbed me in the water. Then took me back to the house and castle," Emilie scowled

"She said she didn't steal the weapons, though," I whispered, lost in thought. "You let her in the basement right?"

Emilie nodded once. "I let someone in, but it was not her."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then who was it?"

Emilie shrugged. "I assumed it was one of the Reneflauses."

I closed Katharine's eyes; after all she was my sister. A familiar ear shattering howl echoed through the city, causing us to fall to the ground with our ears covered. The creature flew above us and didn't even appear to notice our presence. When it was gone, Emilie took me to the side of the alley to hide.

"It didn't have Amelia. They must have got her," she said.

"Unless that was another one," I groaned. A hand gripped my shoulder roughly. Apparently it got Emilie too because we both screamed as we fell backward.


	21. The End

_Chapter 21. _

_The end_

The smell was awful. No, that wasn't the right word. It was unbearable. I held my hand over my nose and mouth. We were afraid that whoever was leading us down here had the poison on them. So we moved forward, despite the horrendous odor.

Emilie coughed every time she had to breathe. Then she leaned against the side of the tunnel to be sick. Thank god, we were able to hold our breath for long periods of time. A human would have probably passed out from the fumes by now.

Every time I went a little slower than usual, I got poked with something silver. My dress was going to have blood stains. Good thing it was already red.

"Take a left here. Now go to the right!" The gruff, yet familiar male voice commanded when ever we needed to turn.

I wanted to talk to Emilie, but in order to do that I would have to breathe. Eventually the small sewer tunnels opened up to a huge room that was filled with waterfalls. They lead down to a sewage river below us.

"Eww," Emilie moaned.

"Get moving," the man poked her in the back.

Emilie jumped away in pain and stumbled forward from her weakened state. She almost fell into the polluted river.

"Oh my god! Don't you dare let me fall!" She screamed at me when I grabbed her dress.

I gripped her arm and pulled her back onto the ledge. She was on her knees, gasping for a couple seconds. Then she looked up at me.

"You," she hissed. Emilie was glaring behind me and flung herself at whoever it was.

It didn't end well. I turned to see Agent Simpson with an eye patch and no beard. Along with a dark skinned boy, which I recognized as Raya's brother Azeal. Emilie had Simpson against the wall with one of her claws deeps inside of his shoulder. Azeal growled and attempted to pull Emilie away. I gripped him by the collar then threw him into the tunnel. Someone grabbed hold of my shoulders.

"Stop, Victoria stop!" Raya was holding me down with a fierce expression on her face.

I stopped struggling for a moment and Emilie loosened her grip slightly on Simpson. However, she never let him go. I turned to glare at her. "What are you doing here Raya?"

Simpson tried to move, but Emilie clutched his throat with a hiss.

"Stop, please we didn't mean any harm." Raya gripped my arm. Her eyes were wide and trusting. "Please, we just wanted your help."

Emilie hissed again. "Like we would trust you after what happened."

"I know and I'm sorry for that, but they had my brother. What was I supposed to do let him die?" Raya let go of me and stared at her brother sadly.

Azeal was holding on the edge of the tunnel, trying to control his rage so he wouldn't turn.

"Why is he with you?" Emilie cussed while pushing Simpson's head back against the wall. He had tried to jab silver into her.

"He was helping us and we need all the help we can get." Raya glared at him. "Don't harm them."

Simpson sneered at her, but did what he was told for the most part.

"Why do you want our help?" I asked, not trusting her one bit.

"Were you not just up there? It's a massacre. We were building a new home in this city, now it doesn't exist," Raya said furiously. "We want revenge on Charles. He let them out." Raya growled.

I looked down at my bare feet. Did she really think he did this? Emilie shook her head when I looked at her. Luckily, Raya misjudged its meaning.

"Please help us. You can trust me, I promise." She put her hands on mine.

"How can I trust you?" I stared at her almost watering eyes.

"I was at the castle when it happened and I saw you there. Olivia had really done a number on you, and then she had her clones take you away. I followed and killed them."

I stared at her dubiously. "That was you!"

Raya nodded. "Come with me, we should get out of this area."

I was all for getting out of this smell, plus I don't think Emilie could hold in her sickness much longer. Emilie shoved Simpson to the ground then ran behind Raya. Azeal pulled him off the ground and they continued behind us. We had entered another tunnel, only it was much shorter and came to a ladder.

Raya shuffled up, though a little awkwardly since Emilie was trying to get out before her.

"Emilie!" I pulled her off of Raya.

"Let me out!" She cried.

To my surprise, Raya laughed then went up the ladder faster. "Okay come on." She reached for Emilie's hand.

Emilie took it gladly and flitted up the ladder. Then she scrambled out the hole. I heard her gasping up above and chuckled to myself. She really did mean that she wouldn't come down here unless forced. Once I was up the ladder, I saw a bright beautiful home that reminded me much of the one I grew up in.

"This is our house," Raya smiled at my awed appearance.

Azeal shut the manhole cover. It was very odd that there was one here in the house.

"There are plenty of rooms for you to stay in," Raya smiled.

"Shouldn't we be trying to stop the hybrids," Emilie muttered, finally able to talk.

Raya stared at her for a few long seconds. "…How?"

Emilie looked at the ground. "I'm not sure, but it wouldn't hurt to at least talk to them."

Raya shook her head. "We take out Charles, without a leader they should leave."

Emilie sighed. "How do you know he is their leader? What if it's someone else?"

"I know because I saw him!" Raya exclaimed.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and Emilie leaned away from her sudden hostility. "You did?" I stared at her in shock.

"Yes, he was here talking to them. He controlled them and in their castle. He set a timer for all the cells to be open."

My mouth fell open. "I thought…never mind." I looked at Emilie, who was in just as much shock. So Victor didn't let them out, he just thought he did.

"We need to find Charles now," I decided. "Do you know where he is?" I demanded.

Raya frowned. "I did, but he might have changed it by now."

I really should call Xavier and tell him what we were planning, maybe he could help. A little voice in the back of my head reminded me that he would just keep me out of everything. I was better off not telling him. I decided not to tell him.

"Let's go Emilie." I took her hand and pulled her to the door, despite her protests.

"Victoria, we don't have any weapons. Amelia and Derrick have all of them. We should call them," Emilie insisted.

"I am not letting you call them Emilie. If you do I will not be able to help at all!" I snapped.

"Oh yes you will…well I guess you're right," she sighed in defeat.

"I have a few things I took from the room Charles was staying in," Raya spoke up.

"What?" I asked, intrigued.

She disappeared to another part of the house and returned with the missing weapons from the mansion basement. I took the silver inscribed guns from her. They were lighter than the ones Amelia had and they were made better. Emilie took the crossbow out of Raya's hand. I think she still didn't quite trust her, especially with weapons that could harm us.

"Are these good enough?" I asked her sarcastically.

"Yes," she smirked at me then rolled her eyes. "Will you show us the way?" Emilie asked Raya.

Azeal growled and shook his head at her, but Raya ignored him.

"Yes I will."

Azeal stalked out of the room in anger. Simpson stumbled after him while looking back to glare at us twice.

"Go on," Raya shooed him away. Raya lead us through the collapsed buildings and blood drenched alleyways. We made sure to peer around each corner before we moved forward. "It's not too far from here," Raya said to us from over her shoulder.

"I think I remember you saying that when we were in the woods," Emilie scowled.

"I mean it this time," Raya chuckled.

"Sure you do." I smirked.

"Shut up!" She pushed me away from her with a laugh.

Emilie got a jealous glint in her eye and moved between the two if us. "Why don't you just tell us where it is?"

Raya pressed her lips together to hide her smile, she knew Emilie was jealous. "It's four streets down and two to the left. It's on the same street as the Rave." Raya pointed north of us.

"Thanks," Emilie mumbled. "Let's go." She gripped my arm and we ran down the street.

"What is the Rave?" I asked when we got in front of the large rectangular building.

"It's exactly what it says, a rave," she smirked at me.

"Oh," I smiled then held the guns tighter in my hands. Something had moved in the shadows on the side of the building. Emilie didn't even flinch when she shot out an arrow and it struck the man. He flew to the ground with a yell.

"Derrick! Oh. I'm so sorry." Emilie ran over and knelt down to help him up.

"What are you doing here?" I asked while looking around for the others.

He groaned when Emilie pulled the arrow out of his side. "Amelia was taken here. We had just got her back recently."

"Is everyone else here too?" I asked nervously.

He nodded with another groan. She was now getting the small pieces of silver out of him.

"Great, I might not be helping Raya with anything," I sighed to myself. "Where are the other's then?"

"Looking for you two," Derrick said while moving his side in different directions, to stretch it. "I believe they had traced you back to the hotel when I last heard from them," he scowled while looking over the torn apart city. "What happened here?" Derrick glared at us suspiciously, like we were the culprits.

"The hybrids happened." Emilie spoke out before I could yell at him.

His eyebrows shot up. "They did all of this?" Derrick started to pace and cuss every few steps. After awhile he took out his cell, I believe he was conversing with Victor. That meant we needed to leave.

"Em, which building was Charles in? I whispered and watched her wander around aimlessly. She sniffed the air every so often.

"It's in this direction," she finally spoke.

"Hey where are you guys going?" Derrick looked up from his cell and I froze.

"We're just sniffing around," Emilie smiled at him while she made me run faster to one of the buildings.

We stopped directly in front of the creepiest building on the block. It had death written all over it and there was no way I would ever set foot inside. My hand was squeezed tighter and I was drug forward. I dug my feet into the ground, but nothing worked.

I tried persuasion. "Emilie please, I don't want to go in there. How are we going to fight him by ourselves?" I pulled against her to buy some time, but it wasn't much.

"We can and we will Victoria. Then we will find a new house," she said confidently.

I flexed my fingers, watching my nails grow out into claws. Then I leapt onto the grey bricks. I was on the top of the building before Emilie for the first time. She glared at me while I beamed arrogantly.

"We'll go in through the top front window, unless someone is in there," Emilie sighed. She climbed down till she hung in front of it.

A helicopter, with a search light was passing over the street and it distracted me.

"Hello Victoria…," the third time she called my name I snapped my head up.

"Huh…?" I said absentmindedly.

"I'm in, you can come down now," she muttered, annoyed.

"Oh sorry," I said quickly as I lowered myself to the window. Then I jumped in next to her.

"This could be dangerous. No, it will be dangerous. There is no time for distractions Victoria," she scolded me.

Derrick's words echoed through my mind from the night before. I got distracted then too, therefore; something bad happened. Emilie rolled her eyes at me and peeked out the old office door before she went out.

"It's an old factory for textiles, I think."

Everything was covered in dust and spider webs. We took care not to touch anything or make any noise.

"Hey guys," Raya appeared out of nowhere, scaring the hell out of me.

"What are you doing here?" Emilie asked, even more annoyed.

"I told you where it was, but I never told you where it was hidden," she said.

"What is hidden?" Emilie muttered slowly.

"It's where he stays and their secret meeting place. Or something like that," Raya shook her head like she couldn't remember exactly.

I narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously. "Do you not know where it is?"

Raya frowned. "I do, but I don't," she sighed.

Emilie glowered at her. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Raya scowled at her and that started up a whole new argument, which lasted a half hour. I wasn't able to get one word in. They sure had it out for each other. I was afraid that Xavier would burst in at any second now. I sat on an old rusty chair with my head in my hands.

I was thinking about Charles, Xavier, and what to do next. Would it be just as hard to kill Charles as it was Olivia? Would he keep coming back to life? The fight got to the growling and throwing things phase. If there were anyone here, they would definitely be aware of our presence.

"Em," I tried to tell her we had to find him, but she shushed me and continued to argue with Raya.

I got up from the chair and stalked out of the room. I was far too impatient to deal with this nonsense again. When I turned onto the second corner in the vast hall, I ran into someone and immediately hissed. She held me steady when I started to freak out and attack.

"Relax Vic; I'm not going to hurt you." Roseland rolled her eyes.

"You killed practically the whole city and destroyed my family's chances at living a normal life!" I raised my silver pistol and put it between her eyes. "Give me one reason not to."

Roseland's mouth dropped and she stuttered. "I-I am sorry…I didn't kill everyone and I had no idea they were going to take more than their fill."

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that," I hissed and cocked my gun.

She shook and looked around helplessly. "We were extremely weak. I only wanted to feed. I didn't know he told them to take out the whole city."

I shoved the barrel of the gun tighter against her forehead.

"I-I know where Charles is," Roseland stuttered.

I waited; my finger was half way down on the trigger. "Where is he?"

"The bookcase that's full of fabric, there's a door behind it. You have to find the button first, though," she said.

"Take me there." I gestured to her to go ahead with my gun.

She relaxed once it was away from her head. Roseland moved at once, going straight to the shelf with the fabric. I groaned when I heard Emilie and Raya still arguing in the next room.

"Here," Roseland pointed to a switch in the middle of the shelf behind several cloths. She pressed the button and the shelf slid to the left side. "That's it."

I made her go first into the wood covered tunnel with my gun. She nodded and led the way.

"Were you hurt at all?" she asked.

Why? I had no idea.

"What? Why do you care?" I snapped at her.

"I do care about you. I still do even after you have threatened to kill me!" Roseland snapped back. She thought I had the poison in my gun. That explains why she was so afraid. I thought she just really hated silver.

"I see you found a change of clothes, they suit you well." She glanced back at my dress.

"So do yours," I muttered while keeping my gun tight in my hand. Her white satin shirt and black skirt were so much more becoming than the old rags.

"Thanks," she smirked. "Are you still going to kill me?"

"Not unless I have to."

Roseland proceeded down the tunnel a little faster than normal. "I have been hiding out and observing what Charles has been telling the other hybrids to do."

I nodded once. "What is he planning?"

Roseland shook her head. "Nothing good I'm sure, but mostly he just seems to be about revenge."

I nodded to myself. "We killed his kids. I wouldn't expect anything less."

Roseland stared back at me silently for awhile. "Except Olivia," she whispered.

My eyes widened, stunned. "How do you know that?"

"I know everything." Roseland walked, almost trotted arrogantly with her hands laced behind her back.

I chuckled with a role of my eyes. "I'm serous."

"Oh so am I," she said with a look of certainty on her face.

"How do you know that when the only person I told was Emilie?" I stared at her suspiciously.

Roseland snickered. "I was just assuming till you confirmed it, but she always had a gift of self preservation."

I rolled my eyes again and suddenly lost my patience. "How long is this damn tunnel?"

"I'm not sure, but we should be getting close now with how long it has been," she replied.

A few long minutes later, the path ahead of us started to get lighter and I could see a square object. The square had light coming in though all the corners of it. Roseland put her finger to her lips to silence me and she crept to it slowly. I followed even slower because honestly, she couldn't be trusted. She had her ear pressed to the square, so I leaned against it too. Two people were talking, though I only recognized one of them. I had frozen in shock.

A man's quiet, but cold as the grave's voice was calmly discussing what to do with the remaining humans. I took a guess that it was Charles. He always spoke in a chilling way. The female voice that he was speaking to was Penelope. I stared at Roseland with my eyes wide and my mouth agape.

"I know," she mouthed.

I thought it was strange how she had nothing in her heart, and yet she was dead. How did she survive the explosion anyway? Something brushed against my hand, startling me. It was Emilie and she had a confused expression. I shushed her like she had done to me and made her listen to the conversation between the two of them. Emilie narrowed her eyes at first, however; she caught on to who it was quicker than I did.

"How?" she whispered.

I shrugged, baffled.

Roseland shook her head with her finger to her lips again, but our silence didn't matter.

The square we were leaning on flew open and the three of us collapsed onto the carpet below. I shot up in fear and twisted around till my back was against the wall. The other two followed my movement exactly. Like I had thought, Penelope was sitting in a rocking chair in front of an old fashioned fireplace. A cup of tea was on her lap and she looked up at us in surprise.

"How did you…" she glanced around in panic. "You go back where you came from before he comes back!"

I was in too much shock to move. I knew she was alive, (figuratively speaking). I was still surprised to see her in person, though.

"Hurry," she got up from the chair. Her tea spilled across the floor and she pushed the three of us back through the square painting. Penelope shut the painting in our startled faces.

"How is she still alive?" Emilie spoke before Roseland and I were able to make words.

"I don't know maybe you should go argue about it!" I snapped.

Emilie looked at the ground, upset. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's' wrong with me, where I have to be right all the time."

"I thought you said no distractions," I glared at her.

She frowned. "I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."

I decided to let it go for now, however; I had a feeling it would be happening again. Charles had come back into the room and  
was wondering what was wrong with Penelope. I ran through the options in my mind. Roseland didn't seem to like the situation at all and I was sure she would bolt at any second. To my surprise, she flitted forward to the painting. Then she broke through it like it was made of Styrofoam.

"Roseland no!" I hissed, but it was too late.

Charles' back was facing us, he was talking to Penelope. I hadn't realized that Roseland had taken one of my stakes. All in one movement, she gripped Charles' long hair and shoulder. Then Roseland shoved the stake into the left side of his back.

Penelope screamed and jumped back behind her chair. Charles fell to his knees with a moan. Roseland's lips were curled over her fangs and she plunged the stake in deeper with a hiss. Emilie and I stared at her for a moment then went into action. I gripped Penelope's shoulders in case she tried to rescue him.

Charles was still kneeling on the ground with Roseland on his back. Then, (out of nowhere) he started to laugh. My mouth fell open. Emilie backed away towards the wall. Roseland's eyes went wide and she made no sudden movements.

He rose to his feet and pulled the stake out of his heart. Roseland toppled backwards, attempting to get away. Emilie appeared to be hyperventilating, but she was in control enough to run back through the tunnel. She took the time to glance back at me to yell.

"Run!" She screamed.

Why was I the last one to notice the syringe in his right hand? Roseland was still backing away, when he caught her by the throat. (I felt awful doing it,) but I used the distraction to get myself out of there. I heard a scream and knew he had injected her with the poison. We ran out the front door of the factory, not looking back.

A loud crash echoed past us and Charles emerged from the building. Emilie pressed her lips together to mute her scream. Charles located us right away and wasn't too far behind. That made it extremely difficult to pay attention to my surroundings. Derrick was only a few streets away when I noticed him.

He was walking towards us with Amelia, and the others were only a street behind. Emilie didn't notice this because she was constantly looking back at Charles. She ran straight into them. Emilie recovered from the tangled mess immediately and ran away after warning them.

Victor, Anna, and Xavier heard the commotion before we got closer to their location. They ran with us when we got there. I moved away from Emilie slightly, to be closer to Xavier. He gripped my hand tightly when I did so.

"What are we running from?" someone finally asked.

I glanced back to see Amelia's puzzled face.

"Charles," I called back to her.

A growl escaped from Xavier's lips and his hand clenched tighter around mine.

"He killed Roseland!" Emilie exclaimed in horror.

"What were you two doing over there?" Xavier hissed at Emilie, instead of me for once.

"She's not dead," I interjected, trying to stop the fight.

"She will be," Emilie insisted. "Yes, it was my fault," she added.

He groaned, but didn't yell at her anymore. I was glad. We didn't need another fight right now. A big fight was gaining on us. There really wasn't any room for another one.

"I have an idea," Derrick said from behind us.

"What?" Victor asked.

Derrick ran up to him and mouthed something into his ear while we ran. I couldn't quit make it out, but they were planning on stopping soon. I was terrified of that plan. I didn't want Xavier anywhere near Charles or his syringe. A few minutes of running led us to the same field I always happened to be in.

It had the same snow glistened trees and the wide river I swam in. Derrick took the crossbow from Emilie and gave it to Victor. Xavier also pulled my guns away from me. I wasn't too unhappy about it either. I knew they were useless after what I saw, but Xavier looked surprised when I didn't object.

"He can't die," I explained wearily. "We put a stake in his heart and…nothing."

He frowned and told his father, whose face was already grave. "We will kill him." Victor put a hand on Xavier's shoulder.

When Xavier turned, I saw a mask of horror on his face. His arms were extended towards me like he wanted to take me and run. Then I remembered that Charles was following us very closely. I turned slowly, almost unwillingly.

He stood behind me with his thin lips turned up slightly, was he smiling? Xavier and I were both frozen. Charles was armed with enough poison to kill us all. …And I was the closest one to him. I wanted to back away from him, but he was close enough to grab me. I gulped and stood there like a statue. Charles took a step closer to me and a series of growls exploded from Xavier's chest.

"So this is it," Charles murmured, "the death of the first family of hybrids. Victor my friend, I am sorry that it has come to this."

Victor growled at him. "Save your lies for someone who believes them."

"If that's how you want it," Charles spoke slowly. He gripped me out of nowhere. I didn't even see it coming. Then he held the green syringe to my throat.

Xavier stared at me with horror-filled eyes. One of his hands was reaching out to me still. Emilie's face wasn't much different from his. Anna touched Victor's shoulder as she yelled at him to do something. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out slowly.

"Here's what's going to happen," Charles began, "you are going to capture all of my hybrids. The ones that don't obey me anyway and bring them back to my new home. Then you are going to all go into a cell quietly and this one will be just fine."

I thought about breaking his hand and pulling the syringe away from my neck. But it was just a thought. I never planned on going through with it. It was obvious that he would stick me before I ever even touched him.

I could also turn into a wolf and that would make me a smaller target, but he could still end up sticking me. No matter what I thought about, nothing would work. I was doomed. I might as well stick myself and tell them to kill him. That option crossed my mind more then once. It was only Xavier who stopped me from doing it. His panic filled face was twisted in anguish and I couldn't bear to see him like that anymore.

Charles smiled and chuckled a few times. "Well what is it going to be? Do I stick the girl or are you going to give in to my demands?"

I whispered _give in_ to Xavier. His face became dark, almost like he was going to kill him instead. If that was the case, then I was surely going to parish. I looked up at Charles' face and debated on how fast he was compared to me.

"We will do as you say," Victor sighed in defeat.

Derrick and Amelia looked at their father in shock. It was clear to me that they wanted to let him kill me. It was what I wanted, but it still hurt that someone else had decided it. I closed my eyes and waited for what Charles was going to do. I half expected him to kill me anyway and then threaten to do it to them if they didn't capture the hybrids.

"Why did you let them out if you wanted to keep them?" I asked stupidly.

"Shut up," he hissed and then shoved the syringe closer to my throat. "Okay there are a few hiding in the city, find them and bring them to the place on this map." Charles tossed a map towards Victor.

Victor stepped forward and took the map without taking his eyes off Charles. He looked it over for a minute and then looked up with confusion. "There is nothing on this map. Where are we supposed to take them?"

Charles looked confused at first, but then he sighed. "I must have forgotten. Give it to me."

Victor walked up to him and handed him the map. The syringe went away from my neck a little. Emilie was more of a risk taker than any of us. She gripped me and I was then placed by Xavier in the same second. Charles cussed and looked around to make sure no one was sneaking up on him.

Xavier finally moved and put me halfway behind him. He wanted me to be safe without me being left out completely. Emilie was on the other side of me, her eyes fixated on the poison he carried. Out of nowhere, an arrow shot through Charles' head. He healed instantly and didn't look harmed at all, but he was furious nonetheless. I glared at Derrick, who shrugged innocently.

"It wasn't me."

Raya walked out if the trees as she shot another arrow. This time it went through Charles' chest. He stumbled back a few steps and Raya kept firing. When she eventually ran out of ammunition Charles' body was completely covered in arrows. Victor took the momentary distraction to rip the syringe out of his hand.

Derrick fired his crossbow at him when Charles gripped onto the other half of the poison. Blood covered the partly snowy ground as it leaked down his body. Yet, he still lived. I tried to grab Xavier's shirt before he ran off to help, but it slid out of my grasp. However, I stopped worrying about him when I saw we were all needed in this fight.

A large group of hybrids had walked up behind Charles. Their eyes were darker than normal and were more blue than green. They were under his control, I realized in panic. Xavier tossed one of the guns back to me, keeping the second one for himself.

"Be careful," he said to me. His kiss was long and lingering, but I didn't mind it at all. It was soft at first, but then grew in intensity.

"Wow," I gasped when he let go.

Xavier grinned and ran away to the swarming group of hybrids. One had gripped my hair and pulled me onto my back. I didn't notice that we were surrounded. I kicked him in the face and then threw him over my head.

Emilie dodged all the hybrids she could. She was still just as skilled as she always was. One hybrid grabbed her leg, but she was suddenly gone. I laughed out loud when I thought about all the times she did that to me. Emilie kicked a hybrids head off, but of course it would grow back later. Another one got its arm ripped off. She was enjoying it more then everyone else was.

Once Victor got the poison away from Charles, the rest of the hybrids took off towards us. Their yells shook the trees back and forth. Emilie zigzagged away from them as she sliced their arms with the silver dagger she stole from me. The one's she hit fell to the ground at once, very weakly. I shot each one that came at me and they collapsed too.

Xavier wasn't doing quite as well as he usually did, since he was watching me to make sure I wasn't hurt. One of them turned into a wolf and tackled him. Only then did he focus more on the fight. I watched him rip three of their hearts out. He laughed a few times as he did so. I tumbled over his back and shot another one in the head. Xavier gripped my arm and then flung me over a huge group of them.

I landed behind the lot of them and shot all the ones who noticed. I had a blade left on my belt, so I took it out and started to slice. I got to ten hybrids before I was hit with something hard. I looked up to see one of them with a large medieval hammer. Great.

I ducked as it swung the hammer over my head. In the process, I stopped a hybrid from ripping off my head. He collapsed to the ground weakly after being struck with the silver. I pulled out my gun again and shot the hybrid with the hammer in the head. He screamed out in pain and threw the hammer at me. I ducked and the hammer struck Amelia upside the head. She was in pain, clearly, but she tried to hide it as she fought.

Derrick and Anna were the only ones who found it easier to fight in and out of wolf form. I didn't want to part without my gun, until I no longer had any bullets left. Being a wolf wouldn't really help much, anyway. I would be too overwhelmed with the smells and wanted to feed.

Derrick snapped the neck of a hybrid with his wolf jaw, but then he tore the heart out of another as a vampire. It was very handy if you could handle it, I noted. He then flipped in the air and landed on two hybrids, cutting them with silver. They screamed and tried to make the pain go away.

"Victoria, watch your back!" Derrick yelled at me as he snapped the neck of another one.

I turned around and was tackled by at least three hybrids. One of them bit my arm, the other pulled at my hair, and the third was trying to reach my heart. I punched one of them off of me, bit another on the neck, and them kicked the last across the field. He landed in a big group of them, knocking them over.

Anna was trying to protect herself, but she was trying to help Victor at the same time. She couldn't even get to him. There were just too many hybrids. She decapitated one with a swing of her arm and then jumped over another. She was tackled when she jumped. I dodged a few hybrids to get to her in time. I pulled the hybrids off her and helped her to her feet.

"Thank you sweetheart," she murmured.

I watched her run to Victor again, but this time she took out the hybrids in her path. I looked around to everyone, making sure no one was hurt. Raya was still shooting them with the crossbow and the werewolves were taking down hybrids as well. Xavier was doing much better and that had me relieved.

Amelia was shooting the hybrids five at a time. Her scowl was fierce and her eyes were focused. She was dodging a lot of them, but some she did have to shoot. In a short amount of time, she was now taking them out ten at a time. She had a silver gun in one hand and a sharp blade in the other. With my blade and lone gun, I was only able to do five in a few seconds. I was starting to feel inadequate.

I remembered Victor and looked back to him and Charles. Charles pulled out half of the arrows and was wrestling Victor for the syringe. I was afraid he might stick himself by accident. I wanted to run up and help him, but I kept getting sidetracked.

Raya had found more arrows for her crossbow and fired them rapidly at the oncoming hybrids. She was enjoying herself immensely. Behind her, more werewolves ran from the trees and locked their jaws on different parts of the hybrids. The hybrids screamed and threw them off their bodies. They just kept coming back, though.

Emilie jumped over a wolf and cut a hybrid in the face. Then she ran towards me. I turned to see what had her so panicked. The flying creature screamed and had me in the air before I could blink. I saw the upside down shocked faces of everyone as I went higher and higher. Raya shot at the creature, but she stopped abruptly before I got hit.

"What am I supposed to do?" she yelled aloud.

I was getting dizzy quick and the creature flew up higher. The trees were starting to look like bushes. I saw Charles pry the syringe away from Victor. No one else saw because they were focused on me and the attacking hybrids. I screamed at them to look, but that made the creature howl in response.

Everyone had to cover their ears. Charles recovered quick and raised the syringe above Victor's heart. His arm went down, but all I saw was a flash of blonde hair. Penelope tackled Charles and they rolled into the bushes. Something struck the creature out of nowhere. It squawked and almost dropped me. The flight pattern was ruined and it was flying lower than normal.

For a moment I was weightless, floating silently in the cold night air. I was surrounded by tiny stars and the bright glow of the moon. Then another arrow flew straight through the creatures head. Slowly, (almost in slow motion) I slipped from its grip.

The trees and people got closer and clearer as I fell towards the ground. I could hear them yell as they noticed me. My hair flew back away from my face and the strong wind would have made my eyes water if I were human. I closed my eyes and flipped over to my back. I hit the ground with a loud crash and everything went dark.


	22. Surprise

_Chapter 22._

_ Surprise_

Loud screams and growls were very vivid in my dreams. A flash of blonde hair went past me or perhaps it was red. Something warm went across my skin in the lightest of touches. I smiled happily and turned over. The screams then continued, I tossed and turned some more. The scent of pine trees and gingerbread surrounded me.

It was the strangest mixture of good and bad that I have ever experienced. I liked it, but I didn't like it. The screams and howls grew stronger in my head. However, the delicious scent and warmth kept me at bay. The colors changed into clouds and small specks of light appeared in the vast blue ocean. I floated on the waves up and down, getting closer to the fluffy grey clouds. They felt like cotton candy in my hands, and even the taste was exact.

My eyes snapped open to a coffee colored ceiling and a pair of anxious bright green eyes. The corners of his soft lips turned up into a smile. The beauty of it took my breath away. His fingers brushed softly across my cheek and the amazing warmth came back to me again.

I reached up to trace his lips and the soft skin of his face. I pulled him closer to me till our lips touched. My hands found their way to his hair and my fingers knotted in it. I curled myself closer to his body at the same time. I was rougher then I intended to be, but I didn't care.

"Gently," he spoke once, barely above a whisper.

I pulled his lips back to mine, disregarding whatever he had said. His hands gripped my thighs, straining me closer to him. I started to pull off his jacket. I was stopped abruptly. I stared at him in shock and confusion.

"Did I hurt you?"

Xavier smirked. "Hardly. We just can't get into this right now." He pulled the jacket of his tuxedo back on and brushed it off a little.

"Why are you dressed up?" My memory had slowly begun to recover and I remembered what last happened to me. Except for how I was alive still. "What happened? Is Charles still alive? …Is Roseland?" I demanded impatiently.

Before he could answer me, I yelled another string of questions at him again. He put this hand over my mouth with a chuckle.

"Sorry," I mumbled against his fingers. Then I sat up in the bed slowly, and placed my hands in my lap.

He laughed at my pretend patience and brushed his hand through his messy hair. "Charles is dead. When he died all the hybrids had their own free will again," Xavier half smiled. "They all went their separate ways to get their lives back together."

"How did you kill him? He wouldn't die." I looked at him in confusion, waiting.

"We didn't. Penelope came out of nowhere and wrestled with him for a long time. I was worried about you and didn't notice that he was about to kill my father," he sighed sadly.

I touched his arm. "Its' okay. Neither did anyone else, but you really shouldn't worry about me so much." That reminded me of another question I had been meaning to ask ever since our honey moon. I guess my brain just wasn't good at remembering things like that. "What did you use to do before you had to worry about me all the time?" I laughed a little when he smiled at the question.

"How about you wait, until I have answered all the other questions first…hmm?" he chuckled at my pouting face. "Did you not want me to answer them?"

"No, I do!" I almost yelled.

Xavier put his finger to my lips. "Shh, did you want someone to think I'm being unpleasant with you?"

I shook my head slowly with his finger still against my lips.

"Good, now Penelope managed to get the poison away from him. Then she injected it into his heart, but not before he could pull out another one and stick her with it."

I blinked and looked down at the red silk bedspread. "Penelope's dead…again."

Xavier shook his head sadly. "Yes, so is Roseland." He put his hand on mine when I flinched from the news. "The cure is across the U.S. It takes at least a week to get here. It's called the Blue Moon Tea Rose," he explained.

I felt awful for leaving Roseland behind, but I knew if I hadn't I would be dead as well.

"Where am I?" I noticed the beautiful room for the first time. I sat in a king size bed that sat directly in front of a white lit fireplace. A TV was placed above it. The coffee colored walls made me feel sleepy and relaxed. The crème colored boarders gave it more life, though.

To my left sat a white chair in front of a bay window. Then beautiful French doors were to the right. They lead to a balcony and outside light snow was starting to pile up.

"This is our bedroom," Xavier smiled.

My head snapped back to him. "What do you mean this is ours?"

"We got a new home and I picked this room for us since you were indisposed," he laughed.

I looked around the spacious room in amazement. The closet was as big as Emilie's old one and the bathroom was so perfect. "I think I need a shower," I admitted while staring at the jetted tub.

"Go ahead I can still talk to you," he pushed me up off the bed.

I could still hear Xavier outside the door, even with the water running. I had no idea why he didn't just come in.

"No one got hurt…," he was saying, "…but as for your last question. I didn't do much of anything before I was sent to watch you. I was utterly bored."

I laughed. "You never answered my first question." I put my head under the showerhead and sighed when the hot water ran down my body.

"Which one was that?" he called and sounded slightly confused.

"Why are you so dressed up?" I turned the water off and wrapped the really soft robe around me, while rubbing my hair dry in a towel.

He didn't answer me till I came out of the bathroom. "I can't tell you."

"Why can't you?" I glared at him in suspicion.

"Because I told him not to. It's a surprise!" Emilie slunk through the door and bounced up to me. She hugged me for half a second then pulled away quickly. "Eww you're wet." She wiped the water off her face.

"It's only water," I smirked then rolled my eyes.

Emilie's hair was tightly curled like it had been at the, (almost) wedding. Only she wore a dark green headband with a bow on the side of it. It was a few shades darker than her green dress. The dress was very low cut, (almost to the top of her ribs).

It had straps that tied around her neck. The band was right below the slit and it sparkled in the light. Then the bottom of the dress clung to her hips tightly, before the rest fanned out in all directions. Xavier was holding a rectangular box, which was wrapped in shiny red paper and had a silver bow on top.

"Who's that for?" I asked, distracted from her dress.

"It's for you silly, from the two of us," Emilie smiled then dangled something green above her head.

"Merry Christmas!" Emilie beamed.

I realized she was holding mistletoe above her. I chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Is it really?" I asked in shock. I needed a calendar in my room. I should have known better, though. Christmas was always a few days after my birthday.

"Yes," she giggled. Then she took the present out of Xavier's hands and handed it to me. "Open it," she commanded and pointed for me to sit down on the bed. "It's also your birthday present since when didn't get to celebrate it properly."

I laughed a little then did what I was told. She sat next to me after I put the present on my lap. Xavier leaned on the fireplace with a smile on his face. They both stared at me as I opened it. I slid my finger under the tape and ripped the paper off in one swift movement of my wrist. I gasped when I lifted the lid of the box. The bright red gown seemed to have an aura around it.

"Do you like it? I thought it would be nice to finally own a gown of your own," Emilie smiled.

I picked up the dress carefully to examine it better. It was even lovelier.

"It goes perfectly with the necklace I gave you too," she added.

I touched the tip of the ruby necklace that I never took off, (except for when I shower).

"It does," I murmured.

"Well Xavier get out!" Emilie snapped.

"Why does he have to leave?" I complained.

"I said so and we have to get you ready. You know he's not supposed to see till it's done," she replied.

"Oh well thank you. Both of you …I love it," I told Xavier as Emilie pushed him out the door.

"Get in the closet!" She pointed to it.

I stared at her weirdly for a second, and then did so. In the corner of the vast closet, there was a beauty parlor area. I was told to sit down in the swivel chair. Emilie picked up a hair dryer then went to work on my head. After awhile, she worked her way to my face. She did my eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, and lips all in that order.

"Are you done yet?" I asked impatiently.

"Patience is a virtue," she said slowly as she went back to my hair.

After going through ribbons, headbands, pins, and ponytails she pulled out a familiar pair of diamond barrettes. I smiled as they shimmered in the light.

"I love those ones."

"I know you do, but I did want something different," she scowled.

"I'm sure it looks perfect." I told her.

Emilie beamed at me. "Okay, it's time for the dress."

I hopped out of the seat, but she wouldn't let me look in the mirror.

"Don't even think about it," she warned.

I stepped through the dress as she held it up for me. Then she zipped it shut. I tried to situate my chest so it wouldn't make me look like a street walker.

Emilie laughed at me. "Mine's showing a lot more than yours is. I wouldn't worry about it."

"How long was I out?" I asked her as she fixed the ruffles on the bottom of the dress.

"A couple of days, why?" she asked.

"How were you able to find a house so quick?"

"Amelia had already found one when you guys were staying at the hotel," Emilie replied, "and Victor already paid for it. The people wanted to move out right away, which worked out perfectly."

I remembered that Amelia was on the computer most of the time when we were there. "Are we still in Rosewood then?" I asked curiously.

"No, that place is no more," she sighed. "We're in Rockwell, Nevada."

"That's in the next state over right?" I narrowed my eyes in thought. Yes it was.

"Yes," Emilie answered. "Okay you can look now." She motioned to the triple sided mirror in the back of the closet.

I held up the bottom of the dress as I walked. I stopped in shock in front of the mirror. My hair was pulled back halfway into a ponytail and the rest spilled down in small curls. However, she left my bangs out like I liked.

The barrettes were on the top of my small bun in the back, but what I couldn't get over was the dress. It was strapless, of course. Then it was very snug around the midsection and it didn't end till slightly above my knees. It fanned out, similar to hers, but more elegant.

At the bottom, it ended in a sloppy looking triangle to show the off-white, old fashioned lace. The border was under my chest, which had a white and grey spotted design. Then halfway across my stomach a small grey and white flower pattern started downward. It turned into an upside down V shape at the ruffled edge. There was so much detail in it that I couldn't look away.

Emilie had to pry me away from the mirror. "We're going to be late!" She pulled me to the door. "Ogle at your self later," she giggled.

Xavier was right outside the door and Emilie almost ran into him.

"Someone is impatient," she noted.

He smirked then moved her out of the way so he could see me. "You're stunning." Xavier offered me his arm and I took it gladly.

The hall was longer then the last mansion's and it had twice as many doors. All across the top of the doors garland and white lights were strung. A few tables and desks held candles. People were laughing below us…many people, like close to thirty or forty.

"What's going on down there?" I asked Xavier curiously.

"You'll see," he smirked at my disappointed face.

Emilie flitted down the stairs ahead of us, but stopped to wink at him before she disappeared.

"Why are you being so secretive?" I complained.

"Oh you'll get over it." He pulled my face to his for a kiss.

When he pulled away, I saw that there were two grand staircases on each side of the entryway. They were both decorated with the same garland and lights. The chandelier was abnormally large and looked old fashioned. Candles were lit in it instead of light bulbs. We went in between the staircases and through another vast hallway with a thick white carpet. Christmas trees lined each side of it and ended at the doors.

"Anna really outdid herself with the decorations," I observed.

"Well she had a great motivation," he chuckled.

"…And you're not going to say what, are you?" I frowned.

"Nope," he smiled and hugged me closer to his side. Xavier led me to the right and opened one of the doors. "We're going in the elevator," he told me.

"Okay…," I said slowly. I rolled my eyes, even the elevator was decorated in lights and poinsettias.

He smirked at my expression. "She's very thorough."

Light music started to play below us. I inclined my head to hear the tune. It sounded like a symphony, and maybe Christmas music? That seemed most likely.

"Are you having a Christmas party?" I asked him when we entered the elevator.

"Something like that," he smiled at me.

I glowered at him. Can't he give me my way just once? The doors opened and he led me out. Poinsettias greeted us as we walked down the hallway. The music was much louder now.

The violins sounded like they were right next to me. Derrick must have a really good stereo system. This part of the mansion Anna decided to decorate in white décor. Most of it looked covered in ice.

A pair of double doors was opened for us. I stared at the strangers with a weird expression. Was it a good idea to have human butlers? I was going to ask, till I noticed all the people in front of us.

It was a ballroom, just like he said we would have. I couldn't hide the grin on my face. Many windows lined each of the walls ahead of me. Outside, you could see the snow falling against the Christmas lights perfectly.

I thought the chandelier in the entryway was big; it had nothing on this one. It was the same style, with all the candles instead of bulbs. Only lit garland was strung up at the top of it and went out in all directions. A giant Christmas tree stood at one end, reminding me of Times Square.

Musicians were next to the tree and were playing slowly on a bandstand. I felt stupid for thinking it was a stereo. Everyone was dancing around the ballroom and dressed in gowns. Xavier pulled me into the center and spun me around. It happened so fast that I didn't have time to think if I wanted to or not.

Amelia spun by me with Derrick. She wore a simple back dress, but it was more elegant than anyone's here. It was a strapless, tight black dress that stopped at her knees. Then it turned into a long train. She wore it well.

"Congratulations," she smiled at me.

"What for?" I asked, confused.

"It's supposed to be a surprise, Amelia." Emilie appeared out of nowhere to scold her. She was dancing with a guy I've never seen before. She now stood there glaring at Amelia till she said something.

"I'm sorry I forgot!" Amelia frowned then smiled at me apologetically.

Derrick laughed. "Just ignore Emilie, it makes everything easier."

Emilie hissed and went to the other side of the room.

"This wasn't the surprise," I groaned at Xavier.

"Nope." He pressed his lips together to hide his smile.

"Can't you just show me and get it over with? I'm really not that fond of surprises," I sighed.

"Where's the fun in that?" Derrick chuckled from a few paces away.

"I wasn't talking to_ you,_" I growled in his direction.

He laughed again.

"It's not time yet," Xavier said while spinning me around in a circle.

It was impossible not to smile when I was dancing with him. I felt like we were the only two people in the room.

"Ten minutes," Emilie called from across the room.

I had to laugh.

"She's just over excited," Xavier laughed with me.

"Are you?" I asked.

Xavier smirked. "A little, but I have done it once before so I know what to expect."

"Done what?" I couldn't help, but ask. Even though I knew I wouldn't get an answer.

"You'll see," he said simply and lifted me up into the air.

I tilted my head back to watch the flames dance on the chandelier. He kissed me as soon as my feet touched the floor. Then the song slowly ended. Everyone applauded for the musicians.

I clapped too. "Who are all these people?"

Xavier bent down to whisper in my ear. "They're old friends of the family and relatives."

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you have relatives?"

"My father wasn't the only one in the family who got attacked that night, but he is the only hybrid," he explained.

"The vampire bit everyone in his family?"

"Yes, and killed a couple of them." His face changed to one of chagrin. "…Be nice," he muttered to me.

"Why wouldn't I…?" A curly blonde…well dirty blonde haired girl bounced up to us.

"Hello there I'm Mya," she purred in her southern accent.

"Hey I'm…," I started to say.

Mya interrupted me again. "Oh I know exactly who you are. Xavier has told me all about you," she gushed.

"Well I told her your name," Xavier muttered under his breath.

I smiled, trying not to laugh. "Oh, well it's nice to meet you." I started to offer my hand, and then she took it before I even extended it all the way.

"It's been great meeting you too. I'll see you later for the…oops I almost spoiled it," Mya ran away giggling.

"My always pleasant cousin," Xavier said sarcastically while he grimaced.

"There's always one," I told him. Another song started out slow, after a few more cousins and their parents had to introduce themselves. Holly was the only name I could remember out of them. Xavier spun me out to the middle of the dance floor, before anyone else could talk to us. "Thank you," I murmured against his chest.

"Anytime." He kissed the top of my head and we danced slowly to the Christmas song.

The couples that passed smiled warmly at me, like the only reason they were here was for us. I was spun around again in the middle of watching them. That forced me to look out the large windows instead. The falling snow was lovely; the snowflakes almost looked fake. I was entranced by it. Xavier pulled my face back to his and crushed his lips against mine.

"Will you please tell me what's going on?" I asked as soon as he pulled away.

"I can't. Emilie would kill me, figuratively speaking," he grinned.

I followed his gaze to the other half of the windows. Emilie was standing there glowering at him.

"She's watching us all like a hawk," he smirked at my startled face.

"Everything has to be her way," I chuckled briefly as Xavier spun me around again. Anna touched my shoulder when we passed by her and Victor.

"How are you feeling dear?" she looked concerned.

"I'm much better, thanks," I smiled at her.

"Good," she smiled back. "I hope you don't get too mad about tonight. It wasn't entirely my idea," Anna gestured towards Emilie.

Victor pulled her away in another dance move before she could say anything more to me. Oh no, what were they planning? Xavier sensed my distress and spun me away from the crowd, till we were at three sets of double doors.

"Why would I be mad Xavier?" I glared at him with my hands on my hips.

"Oh, because you're always mad," he smirked at me.

I scoffed at him. He sighed then opened one of the double doors. The snow was falling very slowly. Hardly any of it accumulated on the ground. I gasped when we stepped out.

"Do you like the new garden?" Xavier chuckled while staring at me.

"It's beautiful." I pulled him down the long steps and onto the small patio. Many trees surrounded the back ground of the garden, but it was the fountains in all the various places that I couldn't take my eyes off.

They weren't on, of course, since it was winter. The blue lights were strung around them and they happened to be the very ones from the spot where I got engaged. I leaned against Xavier happily and he bent to kiss my forehead. Even the bushes and the edges of the deck were covered in lights. I had to kiss him again. Something flashed behind us and I jumped back, but Xavier stopped me.

"It's just Emilie."

I rolled my eyes and laid my head against his chest. He started to dance slowly with me. Small spots were bare in between the bushes for the flowers to be planted next spring. I could picture them and it was perfect. In the corner of the garden, between a fountain and the trees, something moved into the bushes. Xavier saw it as well and assured me it was a deer, but I wasn't convinced. I had a bad feeling.

I let go of him and walked into the garden. Something made the trees move again. I flitted to the other set of trees in time to see someone run. I shouted at them and took off into the trees. I could hear Xavier calling for me to come back, but I was determined to find out who this was. There was a maze of bushes and I reluctantly ran into it.

The snow fell harder now, but that didn't stop me. I walked slowly through the maze, checking each corner of it. I had gone through twenty paths before I saw a dark figure run across one. I screamed out at them to stop and flitted down the path. Whoever it was said nothing and jumped over the wall of the maze. I jumped over the exact same spot and landed in a tree. Xavier was running towards me, trying to get me to come back.

I jumped out of the tree and ran through the bushes. I swear that was where the person went to. I looked up and all around. There was no sign of him or her. I sighed and walked back to Xavier. He was now standing under the tree I jumped out of.

"Do you want to explain to me what that was about?" he asked.

"There was someone spying on us. I chased whoever it was through the maze and out here."

"Look at your dress," Xavier pointed down.

I looked down and saw that it was covered in dirt. "Oh crap," I uttered.

"Let's get you to Amelia before Emilie finds out," Xavier whispered under his breath. He must have thought that Emilie was still out here.

"We need to get inside anyway or Emilie will be mad if your hair gets ruined before the pictures." Xavier led me back up to the house.

"What pictures?" I asked.

"You'll see," he said again or maybe for a third time.

"Stop saying that!" I whined, but couldn't help laughing. "Is that what that flash was earlier?"

He smiled. "Yes, Emilie has already started to document everything."

I was very excited to finally get an answer from him. "How am I still alive? I thought for sure that I had died." I remembered my last moments during the battle. The night air was cold and thousands of stars surrounded me. Then I fell with the wind rushing past my face.

"We can't die remember? We can only by that poison. I believe we destroyed all of it and you weren't dead. You got knocked out," he explained.

"That always seems to happen to me," I muttered unhappily.

"Come on," Xavier led me to the doors. "Amelia!" He hissed when she was close to us.

"What do you want?" Amelia asked him skeptically.

"Can you fix her dress?" Xavier pointed at my dirty dress.

Amelia scoffed. "What did you do?"

"It's a long story," I muttered.

"Get in here and come with me before Emilie sees you," Amelia gripped my hand.

I was very thankful for that. She led me to a small room with red curtains all around us. There was also a small mirror on the side of the room. Amelia got out some cleaning supplies and got to work on the bottom of my dress. I watched her scrub at it roughly, but very carefully.

"I got most of it off, but it will be wet for awhile. Let's try not to let Emilie notice."

I nodded in agreement and thanked her. Xavier was waiting for me outside of the room. He smiled at me and took me to the dance floor again. "Well I'm glad that's all cleared up. I told Victor about the person you saw. He is out investigating it."

"Thank you," I whispered. People smiled at me and laughed as I passed. They were all too overly happy. I didn't like it.

Xavier narrowed his eyes at me. "What's wrong?"

"I can't stand it anymore… just tell me! Everyone else knows. They keep smiling at me." I pouted and folded my arms across my chest.

Derrick passed by and laughed at me. I hissed at him under my breath.

"Five minutes," Emilie called out again.

Everyone around her chuckled lightly. Then they kept glancing at me and smiling. I wanted to rip the smiles off their faces. What the hell was their problem?

"See you only have to wait five minutes more." Xavier brushed his lips across my skin.

I couldn't stand when he did things like that to me. I had to kiss him, and he knew it too. Our lips moved perfectly synchronized against each other for a few minutes. Then when another song started, he swept me off my feet. When we danced across the floor, I noticed the other side of the ballroom for the first time.

Many paintings covered the wall, some of which looked extremely old. It was the last one that caught my eye. It was a family portrait, only Derrick and I were missing. The others were very young.

Amelia looked to be about fourteen, and then Xavier was maybe twelve. Emilie had to be six or seven. Victor and Anna looked exactly the same, of course. However, they were wearing 80s clothes.

"Wow that was a long time ago," I commented.

Xavier smirked. "Yeah, we'll be making a new one soon," he smiled.

The song was almost over and he spun me in the air one last time. I giggled as he dipped me right as the song ended.

"Two minutes, posts everyone!" Emilie called from the Christmas tree.

In front of the tree, someone placed a stand where Emilie told them. Then she dimmed the lights. Anna was suddenly next to me.

"Xavier, Emilie needs you dear." She put her arm around my shoulder.

"Any chance, you'll tell me what's going on?" I grinned at her hopefully.

Anna kissed the top of my head. "No," she smiled apologetically. "There's only a few minutes left, though."

One dark haired couple with green eyes approached us. "Hello, how are you?" they bowed.

"Great," I smiled. It was only a little lie.

"I am Simon, this is my wife Regina and our son Ethan," he spoke with a heavy Irish accent.

I hadn't even noticed the boy. He hid behind his mother's dress.

"I'm Victoria," I held out my hand.

They took it gladly, but they were called to a certain area by Emilie.

"They are very old friends of ours. They changed around the same time I did," Anna told me.

"Were they trapped too?" I stared at their bright green eyes. They seemed overly happy.

"Yes, we hadn't seen them for many centuries. They are very happy to be free," she replied.

Amelia stopped in front of us. "It's time," she smiled slightly.

I let her guide me behind a curtain with many mirrors and beauty things. Amelia lightly fixed my bangs and pulled more of my hair over my dress.

"You look beautiful. Now give me a smile."

I barely had any time to smile before she took the picture. I blinked while looking around. Amelia handed me a bouquet of white and red roses. I noticed she no longer wore her black dress, but had a strapless plain white one on. It ended below her knees in a wavy fashion.

"Why did you change your dress?"

"You'll see," she muttered.

I grimaced. I swear if one more person said that to me, I will pull their hair out.

Amelia tied a red ribbon around her waist and let it hang against her side. Someone hugged me from behind. I jumped and grinned when I saw her familiar perfect nails.

"Raya," I said happily. I turned around and hugged her properly. She wore the same exact dress as Amelia.

"Why are you crying?" Raya touched my wet face in surprise.

I laughed a little. "Because I just figured out what's going on and I'm not too thrilled. I'm happy at the same time, though."

Raya laughed and hugged me again. "It took you this long," she snickered.

Amelia was smiling as she put a small veil over my face. "You'll go after us," she whispered in my ear.

I heard the musicians start the familiar tune of the wedding march. Amelia picked up a smaller version of my bouquet and walked out.

"I get to be married in front of forty strangers," I chuckled. "Great…"

Raya rubbed my shoulder. "You'll be fine." I watched her disappear through the red curtains.

I took a deep breath and counted her footsteps till they stopped. Victor stepped in front of me, offering me his arm with a smile. I put my arm though his and let him lead me forward.

"It will be over soon and you don't have to go through it again," he whispered.

I smiled up at Victor then took a deep breath. Victor pushed back the curtains, exposing the beautiful ballroom. Emilie had transformed it into a wedding. White chairs lined each side of me and a white carpet led to an alter. I had only been in that room for a minute or two. Emilie must have had everything set aside for when it was time.

Above me were red and white roses in banners on the ceiling. Just red roses were sitting on pillars on either side of me, leading all the way up to Xavier. Petals from the flowers were falling down from the ceiling and created an almost, movie like scene. It was all too perfect. Emilie had really outdone herself.

A preacher stood in the appropriate spot with Emilie, Amelia, and Raya to the left of him. On the other side was Derrick and two men I didn't know, but once I saw him my eyes never left his. Xavier's smile was dazzling. He stared at me with his hands clamped tight in front of him. My face stretched into a grin, I had to fight the urge to run to him. So I looked at all the smiling faces I passed, for a distraction.

Some of them were familiar, but most weren't. Anna stood in the front with a tissue in her hand, dabbing at her eyes. I smiled warmly at her and she squeezed my hand as I passed. Victor passed me off to Xavier.

I stared at his face as he smiled down at me. I thought he was going to say something, but he led me up the steps instead. Emilie beamed at me when I was next to her. Then she took my bouquet from me.

Our rings were already in place, so there was no need for them to be given to us. Emilie didn't seem to be happy about herself forgetting that part. She got over it, though. The tree sparkled above our heads, but it only distracted me for a brief second. I turned back to him quickly.

I spoke loud and clear. "I do," I said for the very last time.

Xavier pulled the veil off in a flash and I was in the air, with his lips crushed tightly to mine. The preacher smiled while everyone applauded and screamed. Our names were announced for everyone. Emilie half hugged me since Xavier refused to let go.

"You can thank me later," she giggled.

I smiled at her and Xavier's fingers brushed against my chin. He brought my face back to his. In half a second, (when our lips were apart) he spoke.

"I love you," he breathed.

I brushed my fingers through his hair. "I love you more."

A few yards away, (perched on the top of a young spruce tree) someone watched. The cold snow and wind blew through her tousled pale, blonde hair. Her dark eyes never left the mansion. Inside, the people celebrated and danced in rejoice to the marriage. Still, she never moved. She gripped the branch till it broke in two and hissed in fury.

She clenched her hands so tight that blood dripped down her fingers. What was happening inside made her fury spike higher then it's ever been before. She tried to jump down and run to the mansion. The man standing next to her pushed her back.

"Calm down. You _will_ get him back." The man gripped her shoulder. "It will only take time and a little patience," he smirked.

"Ivan," she addressed him in a cold tone. "I want to her dead. I want her life to be drained out of her slowly. So slowly that she will beg for death long before it comes."

Ivan ran his fingers through his dark beard. "That won't be a problem Miss Reneflause."

She smiled menacingly, and then hopped down out of the tree. She looked back up to the mansion and blew a kiss. "See you soon, Victoria."


End file.
